# Incident 20160603008609I: Piper PA-44-180, Atwater, CA, June 3, 2016

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 3, 2016, 08:06 local time
- Place: Atwater, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: SRJS
- Location: 37.3507° N, 120.5943° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Atwater, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3507&lon=-120.5943&mi=10
- Aircraft: N355AB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N355AB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-44-180 (registry code 7104402, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360 series (registry code 41575, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-44-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,947 total, 530 in this make and model, 220 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160603008609I

## Narrative

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

ON FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016, AT 06:00, SANJAY AKELLA (FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR) AND CHAO YANG (STUDENT) WERE ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE A COMMERCIAL PILOT PART 141 STAGE CHECK.  DURING THE PRE-FLIGHT THE CREW DISCOVERED A FEW MAINTENANCE DISCREPANCIES AND ELECTED TO TAXI THE AIRCRAFT TO THE MAINTENANCE HANGER.

THE CREW EVENTUALLY DECIDED ON CANCELLING THE FLIGHT DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TOOK TO FIX THE DISCREPANCIES.

AT APPROXIMATELY 08:00, THE INSTRUCTOR TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE RAMP AND STATED THAT HE SAW A BASKET ON THE RAMP.   HE SAID IT APPEARED TO BE OUTSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT TIE DOWN AREA AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO THE TIE DOWN LOCATION.  AS HE PROCEEDED, HE LOST SIGHT OF THE BASKET BUT WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION HE WAS CLEAR OF IT.  AS HE BEGAN TO STOP AND COMPLETE THE SHUT DOWN CHECKLIST THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER STRUCK THE BASKET.  THE BASKET WAS FILLED WITH INDIVIDUAL QUARTS OF OIL AND BARBELL WEIGHTS WHICH ARE USED FOR BALLAST.

## Other reports on N355AB (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20150925019819I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150925019819I), Sep 25, 2015: Piper PA-44-180 (N355AB), Atwater, CA, Minor damage. Aircraft made a gear up landing on runway 31 at Castle Airport (kmer). There were no reported injuries.
- [Incident 20141024022749I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141024022749I), Oct 24, 2014: Piper PA-44-180 (N355AB), Atwater, CA, Minor damage. Landed gear up at Castle Airport (kmer) on 24 oct 2014 in Piper seminole PA-44 N355AB at night after completing a dual cross country part 141 flight lesson.…

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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