Two Hollister men were injured in a plane crash Thursday when a
small two-seat kit-plane narrowly missed crashing into the San
Benito County Jail.
Two Hollister men were injured in a plane crash Thursday when a small two-seat kit-plane narrowly missed crashing into the San Benito County Jail.
William James Brin, 79, was taken by helicopter to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center where he was reportedly being treated for serious injuries, according to information from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Hollister Police Department.
Hazen Dennis Willerton, 70, also of Hollister, was taken by ambulance to Hazel Hawkins Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and later released, according to the FAA and police.
While many residents were out watching the Saddle Horse Show Parade, Brin and Willerton were making an emergency landing in a field just east of the county jail. The plane reportedly just cleared the jail’s parking lot area before crashing in a field about 100 yards away.
“That’s definitely a little too close for comfort,” San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill said.
Hill said despite the jail’s proximity to the Hollister Airport, a plane crashing into the jail was not a major concern.
“On a daily basis, we’re not on the direct flight path from the airport, so few planes ever pass over the facility,” Hill said.
The accident, which is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, reportedly occurred at about 7:24 p.m. shortly after Brin and Willerton had taken off from Runway 24 at the Hollister Airport in a single engine plane called a Glasair.
The plane, which is assembled from a kit, was reportedly experiencing engine problems almost from the moment it took off, crash investigators said.
The plane’s engine reportedly lost power while it was in the air and Brin, the pilot, was forced to make an emergency landing, investigators said.
Brin steered his plane just past the jail and made the crash landing in the field.
A witness told investigators that the plane looked to be in good shape when it initially touched down, however, before it could brake to a safe stop, the plane’s wheels suddenly locked up and sent it flipping forward over its propeller.
Several people who witnessed the crash landing rushed to help Brin and Willerton out of the wreckage while paramedics and emergency crews were called in.
The exact cause of the crash, including the reported loss of engine power, is still under investigation.
