20091129022169A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Curtis TRVAIR4000 · Torrance, CA · November 29, 2009

Date: November 29, 2009 · 13:45 local
Place: Torrance, CA
Airport: Zamperini Field
Phase of flight: Taxi
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N8700
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR10CA079
Reported as: Curtis TRVAIR4000
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total2,000 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N8700Registered now · Curtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000S/N 976 · Built 1929 Airframe modelCurtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 Engine modelContinental W670 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot of the travelair, N8700, stated he was taxiing from his hangar, 2781-B, at the east t-hangars to refuel his aircraft with no intention to fly. He was taxiing north on the taxiway between the hangars 2781 and 2785 and was performing a limited s-turn due to the limited space on the taxiway between the hangars. The pilot stated that he did not notice the Lancair on the taxiway prior to his departure. The Lancair was stationary on the taxiway with the propeller turning. The travelair taxied into the Lancair. The root end of the travelair's propeller struck the vertical stab on the Lancair 235, N880RS. The Lancair sustained damage to the rudder and top of the vertical stab. The taxiway is not level and was a down hill taxi in the direction the travelair was moving. The top of the vertical stab on the Lancair was approximately 6 feet from the ground and the spinner on the travelair was slightly higher. There was no noticeable damage to the travelair.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT OF THE TRAVELAIR, N8700, STATED HE WAS TAXIING FROM HIS HANGAR, 2781-B, AT THE EAST T-HANGARS TO REFUEL HIS AIRCRAFT WITH NO INTENTION TO FLY. HE WAS TAXIING NORTH ON THE TAXIWAY BETWEEN THE HANGARS 2781 AND 2785 AND WAS PERFORMING A LIMITED S-TURN DUE TO THE LIMITED SPACE ON THE TAXIWAY BETWEEN THE HANGARS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT NOTICE THE LANCAIR ON THE TAXIWAY PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE. THE LANCAIR WAS STATIONARY ON THE TAXIWAY WITH THE PROPELLER TURNING. THE TRAVELAIR TAXIED INTO THE LANCAIR. THE ROOT END OF THE TRAVELAIR'S PROPELLER STRUCK THE VERTICAL STAB ON THE LANCAIR 235, N880RS. THE LANCAIR SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE RUDDER AND TOP OF THE VERTICAL STAB. THE TAXIWAY IS NOT LEVEL AND WAS A DOWN HILL TAXI IN THE DIRECTION THE TRAVELAIR WAS MOVING. THE TOP OF THE VERTICAL STAB ON THE LANCAIR WAS APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET FROM THE GROUND AND THE SPINNER ON THE TRAVELAIR WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER. THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE DAMAGE TO THE TRAVELAIR.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR10CA079Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportTorrance, CAThe Travel Air pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout during taxi.Nov 29, 2009 · 2 aircraft · No damage

Other reports on N8700 · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20210428007369ILanding: Rollout · TorranceDescription of incident as reported by toa ATCT: on April 28, 2021 travelaire N8700 piloted by private pilot [privacy data omitted], landed on runway 29R at toa, ground looped and hit taxiway sign h. there were no injuries and damage extent unknown. Causal…Apr 28, 2021 · Minor damage Incident 20210313005669ILanding: Rollout · Torrance, CAN8700 landed rwy 29L and was attempting to exit the rwy at taxiway foxtrot when the aircraft started an uncontrolled left turn. The aircraft came to a stop facing east, where twy foxtrot meets rwy 29L at mid field. The aircraft was partially off pavement.…Mar 13, 2021 · Minor damage Incident 19850426022259IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · El Toro, CAAircraft was NR3 in flight of three instructed to hold short after landing. No radio and collided with NR2.Apr 26, 1985 · Reported as Curtis TRVAIR4000 · Minor damage