What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 9, 2026, at approximately 1100 local time, a van's RV-7 collided with a hangar during takeoff roll on runway 35 at Columbia Airport (O22) in Columbia, California. The pilot was the sole occupant. During the takeoff roll, the pilot observed the oil pressure gauge for an extended duration while advancing the throttle. The aircraft drifted left off the runway into rough terrain prior to reaching rotation speed. The pilot attempted a right steering correction but observed a ditch ahead. Moving too fast to stop on the ground and below rotation speed, the pilot applied full engine power to clear the ditch. After clearing the ditch with insufficient airspeed to sustain flight, the aircraft traveled toward an adjacent taxiway and structure. The pilot attempted a right turn down the taxiway to avoid the hangar, but the aircraft did not complete the turn. The pilot raised the nose immediately prior to impacting the hangar.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 LOCAL TIME, A VAN'S RV-7 COLLIDED WITH A HANGAR DURING TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 35 AT COLUMBIA AIRPORT (O22) IN COLUMBIA, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT OBSERVED THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE FOR AN EXTENDED DURATION WHILE ADVANCING THE THROTTLE. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY INTO ROUGH TERRAIN PRIOR TO REACHING ROTATION SPEED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RIGHT STEERING CORRECTION BUT OBSERVED A DITCH AHEAD. MOVING TOO FAST TO STOP ON THE GROUND AND BELOW ROTATION SPEED, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER TO CLEAR THE DITCH. AFTER CLEARING THE DITCH WITH INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED TOWARD AN ADJACENT TAXIWAY AND STRUCTURE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RIGHT TURN DOWN THE TAXIWAY TO AVOID THE HANGAR, BUT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT COMPLETE THE TURN. THE PILOT RAISED THE NOSE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE HANGAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.