Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Hollister Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hollister, California 95023
Tuesady, March 23, 2010 6:50 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
In preparation for an extended over-water ferry flight, a ferry fuel tank system was installed on the airplane. On the day prior to the accident a certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic inspected the ferry fuel system, finding the airplane airworthy with respect to the work performed. The pilot then conducted a successful test flight of the ferry fuel system, with no anomalies noted. Prior to takeoff on the accident flight the pilot ran both engines up to full takeoff power, followed by brake release, after noting that takeoff power had been achieved. After the airplane became airborne the pilot selected the gear selector switch to retract the landing gear, with all indications normal. He reported that, when the airplane was about 60 feet above the ground, there was a loud bang and that the left engine subsequently “surged” and lost partial power. A witness stated that after the takeoff he heard a loud popping noise, and the pilot stated that the nose pitched up and he intuitively pushed forward on the yoke. The pilot reported that the engine power eventually returned; however, not before the airplane impacted terrain and came to rest in an inverted position. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engines failed to reveal the reason for the reported partial loss of engine power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial loss of engine power during the initial climb for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/23/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 650 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Hollister |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95023 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 365336N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1212437W |
| Event Location Airport | Hollister Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CVH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 230 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 650 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CVH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 230 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 8 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28085 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 2 2011 4:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | VHEXA |
| NTSB Number | WPR10LA174 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA30 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | NO SERIES |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 30-1984 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 29 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 78 |
| Airframe Hours | 3092 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Chris Gregory |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Shepparton |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | AS |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Gary C. Mitchell |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Cairns |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | AS |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Ferry |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | CVH |
| Departure City | Hollister |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 650 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KOA |
| Destination City | Kona |
| Destination State | HI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 2 2011 4:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 6350 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |