Thunder And Colt GA42 accident near Hayward, California, February 26, 1995
On February 26, 1995 at about 11:22 pm local time, a Thunder And Colt GA42 (airship), registered N28SQ, was involved in an accident near Hayward, California (Hayward Air Terminal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's decision to operate the blimp with a known and unresolved deficiency in the electrical system, which led to a loss of the flight controls and the pilot's improper remedial actions after the blimp came to rest on the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 1995 · about 11:22 pm local time
- Place
- Hayward, California · Hayward Air Terminal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Thunder And Colt GA42
- Registration
- N28SQ · no longer on the register · serial 1140
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BLIMP HAD A HISTORY OF UNRESOLVED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHARGING PROBLEMS. THE GROUND CREW WERE GIVEN RIDES AFTER THE LAST REVENUE FLIGHT. AS ONE OF THE GROUND CREW GOT IN FOR HIS RIDE, HE ACCIDENTLY MOVED THE MIXTURE AND KILLED THE ENGINE. THE PILOT RESTARTED THE ENGINE THEN SAID HE HAD A LOW-BATTERY WARNING LIGHT, BUT THOUGHT HE HAD ENOUGH OF A CHARGE TO MAKE ONE MORE CIRCUIT. THE PASSENGER SAID THE LOW-BATTERY LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. ON APPROACH, THE PILOT WENT AROUND DUE TO A WIND GUST. ON THE SECOND DOWNWIND, THE VOLTAGE DROPPED TO 4 AND THE PILOT TURNED DIRECTLY TOWARD THE LANDING AREA. AT THAT POINT, THE ELECTRICAL SERVOS WHICH MOVE THE CONTROL SURFACES STOPPED WORKING DUE TO THE LOW VOLTAGE. THE BLIMP HIT THE GRASS SHORT OF THE LANDING ZONE AND BOUNCED ALONG THE GROUND UNTIL IT STOPPED NEAR THE TOP OF A BERM. THE PILOT TOLD THE PASSENGER TO GET OUT AND HOLD THE BLIMP DOWN. THE PASSENGER TRIPPED AS HE GOT OUT AND ROLLED DOWN THE HILL. WHEN HE GOT BACK ON HIS FEET, THE BLIMP WAS RISING WITH THE PILOT HOLDING ON TO A HOLD DOWN RAIL. THE PILOT LOST HIS GRIP AND FELL FROM 200 FEET. POSTACCIDENT TESTS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT A SHORT IN THE STARTER SWITCH WAS CONSTANTLY DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE SWITCH WIRING WAS NOT INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FACTORY STANDARDS OR THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 690 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,047 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1995; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,423 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWD at 11:14 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 5,024 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 pm from HWD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.