# Accident 19971229039499A: Beech E18S, Dallas-Ft Worth, TX, December 29, 1997 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 29, 1997, 21:52 local time - Place: Dallas-Ft Worth, TX - Airport: Dallas-Fort Worth International - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: HBCA - Location: 32.8972° N, 97.0377° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at DALLAS-FORT WORTH INTL (DFW), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8972&lon=-97.0377&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2069C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2069C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech E18S (registry code 1151006, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e18s) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series (registry code 52008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH E18S - Reported engine: PWA R985AN1 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,215 total, 127 in this make and model, 112 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA080) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971229039499A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW98LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA080), Dec 30, 1997: Beech E18S (N2069C), Dfw Airport, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure 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… ## Other reports on N2069C (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19940127002161A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940127002161A), Jan 27, 1994: Beech E18S (N2069C), Memphis, TN, Minor damage. Landed on runway and taxiing to ramp, when hit aircraft on left side that was taxiing to ramp on tower control. - [Incident 19851219068189I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19851219068189I), Dec 19, 1985: Beech E18S (N2069C), Springdale, AR, Minor damage. Gear could not be extended for landing. Gear motor overran the gear up travel limit and clutch would not release. - [Incident 19810821064699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810821064699I), Aug 21, 1981: Beech E18S (N2069C), Holdenville, OK, Minor damage. Pilot was advised prior departure landing gear indicatior lights inoperative. Gear collapsed on landing. - [Incident 19800506050939I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800506050939I), May 6, 1980: Beech E18S (N2069C), Jackson, MS, Minor damage. Landing gear jammed halfway down. Link in gear retract chain wedged in sprocket. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.