Cessna P206A and Travel Air 4000 accident near Hollister, California, May 17, 2008
On May 17, 2008 at about 7:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna P206A (N4638F) and Travel Air 4000 (N3945), were involved in the same accident near Hollister, California (Hollister Municipal airport). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot of the other airplane to maintain physical clearance while taxiing.
The pilot's failure to maintain physical clearance from the other airplane while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2008 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hollister, California · Hollister Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna P206A · all P206As on the register
- Registration
- N4638F · registry record · serial P206-0238
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Travel Air 4000 · all 4000s on the register
- Registration
- N3945 · registry record · serial 319
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna P206A final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Travel Air 4000 final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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 for the Cessna P206A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 905 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CVH Hollister CA
- Destination: CVH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
The factual record for the Travel Air 4000 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,612 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3,238 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,233 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright J-4-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CVH Hollister CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,350 ft by 100 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX08LA146.