- Date
- May 17, 2008, 12:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Hollister, CA
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Defining events
- Standing-engine(s) operating: Ground collisionTaxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA reports
- 20080517839801A20080517838072A
- Case key
- 68045
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain physical clearance from the other airplane while taxiing.
The failure of the pilot of the other airplane to maintain physical clearance while taxiing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N4638F · Cessna P206A
N3945 · Travel Air 4000
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N4638F · Cessna P206A
N3945 · Travel Air 4000
Analysis
A Travel Air 4000 collided with a Cessna P206A on the ground at a non-towered municipal airport. The Travel Air was taxiing in after landing on runway 31, and the Cessna P206A was standing with its engine operating on the ramp. According to the pilot of the Travel Air, he taxied off of runway 31 onto taxiway B at the non-towered airport. As he taxied toward the airport parking ramp, he started a clearing "S" turn and observed the Cessna P206A directly in front of him. He turned hard to the left, but the outer 2 feet of the Travel Air's lower right wing passed through the propeller arc of the Cessna. A piece of the Travel Air's lower right wing was cut off.
A Travel Air 4000 collided with a Cessna P206A on the ground at a non-towered municipal airport. The Travel Air was taxiing in after landing on runway 31, and the Cessna P206A was standing with its engine operating on the ramp. According to the pilot of the Travel Air, he taxied off of runway 31 onto taxiway B. As he taxied toward the airport parking ramp, he started a clearing "S" turn and observed the Cessna P206A directly in front of him. He turned hard to the left, but the outer 2 feet of the Travel Air's lower right wing passed through the propeller arc of the Cessna. A piece of the Travel Air's lower right wing was cut off.
Factual narrative
On May 17, 2008, about 1220 Pacific daylight time, a Travel Air 4000, N3945, collided with a Cessna P206A, N4638F, on the ground at Hollister Municipal Airport, Hollister, California. The Travel Air was taxiing in after landing on runway 31, and the Cessna P206A was standing with its engine operating on the ramp. There were no injuries to the commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the Travel Air, or to the commercial pilot and five passengers in the Cessna. Both airplanes were being operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plans had been filed by either pilot. According to the pilot of the Travel Air, he taxied off of runway 31 onto taxiway B at the non-towered airport. As he taxied toward the airport parking ramp, he started a clearing "S" turn and observed the Cessna P206A directly in front of him. He turned hard to the left, but the outer 2 feet of the Travel Air's lower right wing passed through the propeller arc of the Cessna. A piece of the Travel Air's lower right wing was cut off.
On May 17, 2008, about 1220 Pacific daylight time, a Travel Air 4000, N3945, collided with a Cessna P206A, N4638F, on the ground at Hollister Municipal Airport, Hollister, California. The Travel Air was taxiing in after landing on runway 31, and the Cessna P206A was standing with its engine operating on the ramp. There were no injuries to the commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the Travel Air, or to the commercial pilot and five passengers in the Cessna. Both airplanes were being operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plans had been filed by either pilot. According to the pilot of the Travel Air, he taxied off of runway 31 onto taxiway B at the non-towered airport. As he taxied toward the airport parking ramp, he started a clearing "S" turn and observed the Cessna P206A directly in front of him. He turned hard to the left, but the outer 2 feet of the Travel Air's lower right wing passed through the propeller arc of the Cessna. A piece of the Travel Air's lower right wing was cut off.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N4638F
- Reported as
- Cessna P206A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- P206-0238
- Engine
- Continental IO-550, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Skydiving · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Airlift California, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 1, 2008
- Departed
- CVH · Hollister, CA
- Destination
- CVH
- Airport
- CVH · Hollister Municipal
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N3945
- Reported as
- Travel Air 4000
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 319
- Airframe hours
- 2,233
- Engine
- Wright J-4-B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hugh P. Bikle
- Registered owner
- Vintage Aircraft Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2007
- Departed
- CVH · Hollister, CA
- Airport
- CVH · Hollister Municipal, runway 31, 6,350 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N4638F
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 905 total · 750 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N3945
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2005
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,612 total · 30 in this make and model · 3,238 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.