- Date
- December 30, 2008, 13:06 local (21:06 UTC)
- Place
- San Jose, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N8679Stemme S-10
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 73255
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 clearance from an obstacle during taxi.
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.
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.
Analysis
The pilot of the motor glider reported that he taxied to a transient parking area with the wings in a folded position. After parking and unfolding the wings, he began to taxi the glider to the active runway. He reported taxiing to the right of the centerline in order to avoid making contact with the hangars to the left. The pilot then looked ahead and observed three airplanes in the run-up area, and shortly thereafter the glider's left wing tip made contact with a hangar. The glider then spun to the left and collided with the hangar. The left wing sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the motor glider reported that he taxied to a transient parking area with the wings in a folded position. After parking and unfolding the wings, he began to taxi the glider to the active runway. He reported taxiing to the right of the center line in order to avoid making contact with the hangars to the left. The pilot then looked ahead and observed three airplanes in the run-up area, and shortly thereafter, the glider's left wing tip made contact with a hangar. The glider then spun to the left and collided with the hangar. The left wing sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8679
- Reported as
- Stemme S-10
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 10-39
- Airframe hours
- 1,440
- Engine
- Limbach 2400, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 25, 2008
- Departed
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Destination
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- RHV · Reid-Hillview Airport, runway 31R, 3,100 × 75 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 9, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 111 total · 18 in this make and model · 50 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 18,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- HRV