Amateur-built EAA BIPLANE P accident near Gilroy, California, August 29, 1998
On August 29, 1998 at about 1:00 am local time, a amateur-built EAA BIPLANE P, registered N883TM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gilroy, California (Frazier Lake Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for the existing crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1998 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Gilroy, California · Frazier Lake Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EAA BIPLANE P EAA BIPLAN
- Registration
- N883TM · no longer on the register · serial 81283
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported that the grass strip is located adjacent to a lake used for water landings. They stated that wind direction was 90 degrees from the runway at 20 knots, and the pilot was landing on runway 23. The witnesses reported that the landing appeared normal, but the pilot was unable to maintain directional control on the landing rollout. Witnesses stated that the pilot attempted a go-around, but ground looped the aircraft which came to rest inverted in the water. The pilot did not notify the authorities that he had been involved in an aircraft accident. The aircraft was moved by the pilot to an unknown location and was unable to be inspected.
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
- Flight time: 603 hours in all; 534 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Unknown
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 23, 2,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.