Amateur-built Glastar accident near Vacaville, California, January 19, 2008
On January 19, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Glastar, registered N248DW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Vacaville, California (Nut Tree airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and a lack of experience in conventional gear airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vacaville, California · Nut Tree · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Glastar
- Registration
- N248DW · no longer on the register · serial 5571
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off with the intent of flying around the traffic pattern. The pilot's first two attempted landings terminated in go-arounds after the airplane experienced a series of bounces on the runway. On the third attempted landing, the pilot lost directional control. The airplane swerved off the runway and went into a ditch. The pilot's experience flying tailwheel airplanes was 3 hours and he had not received a flight instructor's endorsement to act as pilot-in-command of tailwheel equipped airplanes. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,125 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: VCB Vacaville CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: VCB Vacaville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 4,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.