What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On June 28, 2001, about 1330 hours mountain standard time, a Mooney M20C, N311X, owned and operated by the pilot, taxied into a motor vehicle traffic sign at the Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the commercial pilot was not injured. The personal flight was performed under 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the la cholla airpark, in Tucson, about 1315. Information received from the federal aviation administration indicated that after the pilot landed he taxied onto a 20-foot-wide road designed for vehicular traffic. While taxiing, the airplane impacted a sign for cars coming from the opposite direction. (-23) pilot was taxiing to a repair station on the airport using taxiway a, northwest bound on the northeast side of the airport. Ground control directed the pilot to taxi via a parking ramp to join taxiway d and to give way for three F-16S taxiing in the opposite direction. The pilot's attention was directed towards the F-16S making sure not to cause a conflict as he ta xied on the ramp. The pilot mistook an airport access road for taxiway d and turned right to join it. While starting down the access road he didn't notice an airport sign and struck it with the propeller, engine cowling and front part of the wing. No injuries, and minor damage was done to the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JUNE 28, 2001, ABOUT 1330 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A MOONEY M20C, N311X, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, TAXIED INTO A MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SIGN AT THE TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TUCSON, ARIZONA. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE LA CHOLLA AIRPARK, IN TUCSON, ABOUT 1315. INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INDICATED THAT AFTER THE PILOT LANDED HE TAXIED ONTO A 20-FOOT-WIDE ROAD DESIGNED FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC. WHILE TAXIING, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A SIGN FOR CARS COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. (-23) PILOT WAS TAXIING TO A REPAIR STATION ON THE AIRPORT USING TAXIWAY A, NORTHWEST BOUND ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. GROUND CONTROL DIRECTED THE PILOT TO TAXI VIA A PARKING RAMP TO JOIN TAXIWAY D AND TO GIVE WAY FOR THREE F-16S TAXIING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE PILOT'S ATTENTION WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE F-16S MAKING SURE NOT TO CAUSE A CONFLICT AS HE TA XIED ON THE RAMP. THE PILOT MISTOOK AN AIRPORT ACCESS ROAD FOR TAXIWAY D AND TURNED RIGHT TO JOIN IT. WHILE STARTING DOWN THE ACCESS ROAD HE DIDN'T NOTICE AN AIRPORT SIGN AND STRUCK IT WITH THE PROPELLER, ENGINE COWLING AND FRONT PART OF THE WING. NO INJURIES, AND MINOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.