# Accident 19990129001181A: Amtr RV4, Madera, CA, January 29, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 29, 1999, 16:01 local time
- Place: Madera, CA
- Airport: Madera Municipal Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.9886° N, 120.1124° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at MADERA MUNI (MAE), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9886&lon=-120.1124&mi=10
- Aircraft: N770RF (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AMTR RV4
- Reported engine: LYC IO540*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,000 total, 90 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA086) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990129001181A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19)ON JANUARY 29, 1999, AT 1601 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A COELHO RV4, N770RF, COLLIDED WITH A CESSNA 150L, N6979G, WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF AT THE MADERA, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE CESSNA 150L WAS STATIONARY IN THE RUN-UP AREA CONDUCTING A PRETAKEOFF ENGINE AND SYSTMES CHECK. THE CESSNA 150L WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY MADERA COUNTY AIRCRAFTERS AND RENTED BY THE PILOT FOR A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT.  THE COELHO RV4 WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY ROCKET FACTORY, INC., AND WAS ALSO DEPARTING FOR A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLGIHT.  THE CESSNA 150L WAS DESTROYED AND THE COELHO RV4 SUSTAINED MINOR PROPELLER DAMAGE.  NEITHER OF THE PILOTS, THE SOLE OCCUPANTS OF THEIR RESPECITVE AIRCRAFT, WERE INJURIED.  BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ON-GROUND COLLISION. ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 150L, SHE WAS STOPPED IN THE RUN-UP AREA CONDUCTING A PRETAKEOFF ENGINE RUN-UP.  THE COELHO RV4, A CONVENTIONAL LANDING GEAR-EQUIPPED AIRPLANE, TAXIED INTO THE TAIL OF THE CESSNA 150L AND THE PROPELLER DAMAGED THE ENTIRE CESSNA'S EMPENNAGE.                                                                                                                                   (.4)A COELHO RV4, N770RF, COLLIDED WITH A CESSNA 150L, N6979G, WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF. THE CESSNA 150L WAS STOPPED ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY WAITING FOR DEPARTURE BEHIND TWO OTHER AIRPLANES.  THE CESSNA'S PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RUN-UP AREA WAS CONGESTED AND SHE DID NOT BELIEVE THERE WAS ENOUGH ROOM TO SAFELY PULL INTO THE AREA.  WHILE WAITING ON THE TAXIWAY, THE PROPELLER OF A RV4 STRUCK THE TAIL SECTION OF HER AIRCRAFT.  THE PILOT OF N770RF (A CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANE) STATED THAT HE WAS PERFORMING 'S' TURNS ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY WHILE TAXIING OUT FOR DEPARTURE AND DID NOT NOTICE THE CESSNA STOPPED ON THE TAXIWAY.                                              (-23) PILOT OF N770RF WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF ON PARALLEL TAXIWAY.  HE IMPACTED A CESSNA 150 WHICH WAS STOPPED ON THE TAXIWAY IN PROCESS OF PERFORMING AN ENGINE RUNUP.  MINOR DAMAGE TO RV4 PROPELLER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^                           .

## Other aircraft in the event

- N6979G, Cessna 150L: [Accident 19990129001182A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990129001182A)

## 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 LAX99LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA086), Jan 30, 1999: Coelho RV4 (N770RF), Madera, CA, minor damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout and to see the stationary airplane on the taxiway ahead.

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.