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19971229039499A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Beech E18S · Dallas-Ft Worth, TX · December 29, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 29, 1997 · 21:52 local
Place
Dallas-Ft Worth, TX
Airport
Dallas-Fort Worth International
Phase of flight
Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
HBCA
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2069C
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98LA080
Reported as
Beech E18S
Reported engine
Pratt & Whitney R985AN1
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,215 total127 in this make and model112 in the last 90 days
N2069CRegistered now · Beech E18SS/N BA-430 · Built 1959Airframe modelBeech E18SEngine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Springdale air service cargo was holding short on the ramp when it was struck by another acft. Dallas, TX. (-23) no narrative. (.4) two Beech E18S airplanes (from same operator) took off 10 minutes apart from the same location on a night cargo flight. They arrived 4 minutes apart & landed on runway 36L. After the 1st plane (N2069C) landed, tower cleared the pilot to "taxi to the ramp". Approaching the ups ramp, the pilot of the 1st plane continued monitoring the tower, but contacted the ramp controller (ups), using a 2nd radio. He was told by ups "to hold short of the rjmp". Meanwhile, the 2nd plane (N4980V) was cleared (by tower) "to taxi to the ramp". Subsequently, the 2nd plane collided with the 1st plane, which had stopoed in the taxiway short of the cago ramp. The 1st plane was facing nearly perpendicular to the taxiing airplane. Both planes were equipped with rotating beacons on the lower portion of the fuselage & navigation lights on the wing tips & tail; although for aircraft approaching from either side, illumination from the tail navigation light on this make/model of plane w as blocked by the vertical stabilizers & rudders. Ups holding instructions (to the 1st pilot) did not specify where to hold. The collision occurred in an area that was not visible to the tower. All taxiways were equipped with centerline lighting. The taxiway's centerline lighting & blue edge lights were operational.

As the FAA filed it

SPRINGDALE AIR SERVICE CARGO WAS HOLDING SHORT ON THE RAMP WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER ACFT. DALLAS, TX. (-23) NO NARRATIVE. (.4) TWO BEECH E18S AIRPLANES (FROM SAME OPERATOR) TOOK OFF 10 MINUTES APART FROM THE SAME LOCATION ON A NIGHT CARGO FLIGHT. THEY ARRIVED 4 MINUTES APART & LANDED ON RUNWAY 36L. AFTER THE 1ST PLANE (N2069C) LANDED, TOWER CLEARED THE PILOT TO "TAXI TO THE RAMP". APPROACHING THE UPS RAMP, THE PILOT OF THE 1ST PLANE CONTINUED MONITORING THE TOWER, BUT CONTACTED THE RAMP CONTROLLER (UPS), USING A 2ND RADIO. HE WAS TOLD BY UPS "TO HOLD SHORT OF THE RJMP". MEANWHILE, THE 2ND PLANE (N4980V) WAS CLEARED (BY TOWER) "TO TAXI TO THE RAMP". SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2ND PLANE COLLIDED WITH THE 1ST PLANE, WHICH HAD STOPOED IN THE TAXIWAY SHORT OF THE CAGO RAMP. THE 1ST PLANE WAS FACING NEARLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE TAXIING AIRPLANE. BOTH PLANES WERE EQUIPPED WITH ROTATING BEACONS ON THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FUSELAGE & NAVIGATION LIGHTS ON THE WING TIPS & TAIL; ALTHOUGH FOR AIRCRAFT APPROACHING FROM EITHER SIDE, ILLUMINATION FROM THE TAIL NAVIGATION LIGHT ON THIS MAKE/MODEL OF PLANE W AS BLOCKED BY THE VERTICAL STABILIZERS & RUDDERS. UPS HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS (TO THE 1ST PILOT) DID NOT SPECIFY WHERE TO HOLD. THE COLLISION OCCURRED IN AN AREA THAT WAS NOT VISIBLE TO THE TOWER. ALL TAXIWAYS WERE EQUIPPED WITH CENTERLINE LIGHTING. THE TAXIWAY'S CENTERLINE LIGHTING & BLUE EDGE LIGHTS WERE OPERATIONAL.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA080Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDfw Airport, TXfailure of the pilot in the 2nd airplane (N4980V) to see-and-avoid the standing airplane (N2069C). Related factors were: darkness, and inadequate (vague) instructions issued by the UPS ramp controller.Dec 30, 1997 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2069C · 4

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19940127002161AGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Memphis, TNLanded on runway and taxiing to ramp, when hit aircraft on left side that was taxiing to ramp on tower control.Jan 27, 1994 · Minor damageIncident 19851219068189ILevel Off Touchdown · Springdale, ARGear could not be extended for landing. Gear motor overran the gear up travel limit and clutch would not release.Dec 19, 1985 · Minor damageIncident 19810821064699ILevel Off Touchdown · Holdenville, OKPilot was advised prior departure landing gear indicatior lights inoperative. Gear collapsed on landing.Aug 21, 1981 · Minor damageIncident 19800506050939ILevel Off Touchdown · Jackson, MSLanding gear jammed halfway down. Link in gear retract chain wedged in sprocket.May 6, 1980 · Minor damage