What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On December 27, 1998, about 1630 hours pacific standard time, a Piper J3C-65, N87714, collided with the elevator and horizontal stabilizer of a Cessna TR182, N882WS, in the run-up area of the north Las Vegas, Nevada, airport. The Piper J3-C65 sustained minor damage; however, the Cessna TR182 incurred substantial damage. The private pilots, the sole occupants of their respective aircraft, were not injured. The Piper J3 was taxiing into the run-up area and the Cessna TR182 was stationary conducting pretakeoff checks. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. (.4) the Cessna TR182 had been in the run-up area approximately 2 minutes conducting pretakeoff checks. It was on an easterly heading on the first run-up marker. The pilot of the Piper J3, who was in the rear seat, was going to conduct a run-up prior to taking the aircraft in for annual inspection. As he was taxiing north to the run-up area, he had aircraft parked on his left side, a cherokee approaching from the 1 o'clock position, and a twin otter approaching from the 4 o'clock position. As he neared the spot where he planned to conduct his run-up he saw the Cessna. He shut down his engine and applied the brake s but was unable to stop before hitting the Cessna. His right wing scraped the bottom of the Cessna wing. His propeller struck its right horizontal stabilizer and elevator causing substantial damage. The Piper sustained minor damage to its propeller. The Piper pilot stated he had thoroughly scanned the run-up area and did not see the Cessna. He felt it had either blended in with the background or was in a blind spot.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON DECEMBER 27, 1998, ABOUT 1630 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER J3C-65, N87714, COLLIDED WITH THE ELEVATOR AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF A CESSNA TR182, N882WS, IN THE RUN-UP AREA OF THE NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, AIRPORT. THE PIPER J3-C65 SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE; HOWEVER, THE CESSNA TR182 INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOTS, THE SOLE OCCUPANTS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AIRCRAFT, WERE NOT INJURED. THE PIPER J3 WAS TAXIING INTO THE RUN-UP AREA AND THE CESSNA TR182 WAS STATIONARY CONDUCTING PRETAKEOFF CHECKS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. (.4) THE CESSNA TR182 HAD BEEN IN THE RUN-UP AREA APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES CONDUCTING PRETAKEOFF CHECKS. IT WAS ON AN EASTERLY HEADING ON THE FIRST RUN-UP MARKER. THE PILOT OF THE PIPER J3, WHO WAS IN THE REAR SEAT, WAS GOING TO CONDUCT A RUN-UP PRIOR TO TAKING THE AIRCRAFT IN FOR ANNUAL INSPECTION. AS HE WAS TAXIING NORTH TO THE RUN-UP AREA, HE HAD AIRCRAFT PARKED ON HIS LEFT SIDE, A CHEROKEE APPROACHING FROM THE 1 O'CLOCK POSITION, AND A TWIN OTTER APPROACHING FROM THE 4 O'CLOCK POSITION. AS HE NEARED THE SPOT WHERE HE PLANNED TO CONDUCT HIS RUN-UP HE SAW THE CESSNA. HE SHUT DOWN HIS ENGINE AND APPLIED THE BRAKE S BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING THE CESSNA. HIS RIGHT WING SCRAPED THE BOTTOM OF THE CESSNA WING. HIS PROPELLER STRUCK ITS RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PIPER SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO ITS PROPELLER. THE PIPER PILOT STATED HE HAD THOROUGHLY SCANNED THE RUN-UP AREA AND DID NOT SEE THE CESSNA. HE FELT IT HAD EITHER BLENDED IN WITH THE BACKGROUND OR WAS IN A BLIND SPOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.