# Accident 19990521047459A: Beech A36, Willows, CA, May 21, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 21, 1999, 14:50 local time
- Place: Willows, CA
- Airport: Willows-Glenn County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.5004° N, 122.2808° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5004&lon=-122.2808&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8178N (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- Reported engine: CONT IO550B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 140 total, 139 in this make and model, 71 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA195) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990521047459A

## Narrative

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

(.4) THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH, HE HEARD A PILOT ANNOUNCE OVER THE UNICOM FREQUENCY THAT HE WAS ENTERING THE LEFT DOWNWIND LEG FOR THE SAME RUNWAY. ANOTHER PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS MAKING A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH FOR AN INTERSECTING RUNWAY.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD PLANNED TO TAXI THE FULL LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY THEN TURN RIGHT TO THE TRANSIENT PARKING, BUT HE CHANGED HIS MIND WHEN HE HEARD THE APPROACHING AIRCRAFT.  HE STATED THAT AFTER TURNING LEFT ONTO A MIDFIELD TAXIWAY, HE SAW A PARKED TRAILER OFF TO HIS RIGHT SIDE.  HE REMAINED ON THE TAXIWAY CENTERLINE WATCHING FOR THE LANDING TRAFFIC, AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO HIS RIGHT WING TIP. THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND THE RIGHT WING IMPACTED THE TANDEM SEMITRAILER.  THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND AND THE NOSE BECAME EMBEDDED BETWEEN THE TWO TRAILERS.  ACCORDING TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE FLIGHT SCHOOL, THE TRAILERS WERE BEING USED FOR SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS AND WERE NOT NORMALLY ON THE AIRPORT.          (-23) PILOT DEPARTED NAPA ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. ARRIVED AT WILLOWS AT ABOUT 1530 LOCAL TIME, PERFORMED A NORMAL LANDING ON RUNWAY 31, EXITED THE RUNWAY AT THE FIRST TAXI WAY. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING IMPACTED TWO ATTACHED TRAILERS, PARKED FOR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS, ABOUT 75 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN, TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND STRUCK THE MIDDLE SECTION BETWEEN THE TWO TRAILERS. THE SOLO STUDENT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

## 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 LAX99LA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA195), May 21, 1999: Beech A36 (N8178N), Willows, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate clearance with a parked trailer while taxiing the aircraft.

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.

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