The pilot of a twin-engine airplane that crashed in a field
outside the Hollister Municipal Airport on Tuesday told authorities
the aircraft’s engines failed when it took off, said Lt. Roy Iler,
a spokesman for the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
The pilot of a twin-engine airplane that crashed in a field outside the Hollister Municipal Airport on Tuesday told authorities the aircraft’s engines failed when it took off, said Lt. Roy Iler, a spokesman for the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
The crash occurred shortly before 7 a.m. in a field northwest of the airport, and the pilot escaped with minor injuries, according to authorities. Iler said the pilot, Gary Mitchell, had a head laceration and scratches.
The twin-engine Comanche airplane had been taking off for Hawaii when its engines failed, said Iler, noting how Mitchell tried to restart it while about 50 feet off the ground.
“Something cut off the engine,” Iler said. “He started to go back down.”
The Federal Aviation Administration is doing the investigation, and the sheriff’s office will forward its report to the agency, Iler said.
An FAA spokesman could not be reached immediately for comment.
Mitchell’s permanent residence is not immediately clear, but Airport Manager Mike Chambless did note he is a tenant at the airport.
For a story on a witness description of the crash, go here.
