20191217022072A

In day VFR conditions, aircraft N961GG, a tbm 700, was taxiing from parking to join a taxiway that is parallel to the northeast side of runway 12, via a 45 degree acute adjoining taxiway. It was on a heading of 255 degrees, and collided with aircraft N160RW, a B300 super king air, which was taxiing on the parallel taxiway on a heading of 300 degrees. Both pilots were taxiing for intended departures on runway 12 at this uncontrolled airfield. Due to the relative forward motions of both aircraft, the tbm's nose and prop passed just ahead of the king air's right wing leading edge, and then the taller king air's outboard right wing ran over the top of the tbm's cabin, cowling and prop. Skid marks showed that the tbms pilot applied maximum braking briefly before or at impact. The king air left no skid marks. The tbm's prop chewed into the right wing and internal fuel tanks just outboard of the king airs right engine nacelle, releasing a large quantity of jet fuel instantly. The tbm spun around to the right, with the left wingtip destroying the king airs right side aft fuselage strake. The king air came to a stop straight ahead on the parallel taxiway within several hundred feet, dumping a large quantity of fuel down the taxiway. The tbms composite prop was destroyed, its top cowling severely damaged as the king airs tiedown ring ripped through its top, its cockpit windshields gouged badly, and its left wingtip and winglet were severely damaged. The king airs right outboard wing and outboard main landing gear door and adjacent skins sustained substantial damage from the rbms propeller. Both aircraft separated, and there was no fire. All pilots were able to shut down their aircraft and all pilots and passengers exited the aircraft to a safe location away from the damaged aircraft and fuel spill area. There were no injuries to either pilots or passengers. The passengers in both aircraft saw the imminent collision immediately before impact, and yelled warnings to their respective pilots, who both did not hear their warnings, due to both aircrafts pilots wearing noise attenuating headsets. The king air pilot stated he never saw the tbm, just felt a bump, thinking that his right tires or strut had blown out, initially. The tbm pilot stated that the first thing he saw of the king air was its wing scratching over his windshield from left to right, just as he keyed the mic to announce his position on the taxiway. On scene investigation noted that a large (40 ft long by 7 ft high) glider trailer was parked in the acute angle between the converging taxiway and the parallel taxiway, at a point approximately 380 feet from the collision point. Records review and pilot statements revealed that both aircraft were in an airworthy condition at the time of the accident, with no reported mechanical issues.

-Multiple witnesses stated that this pilot was known for fast taxiing.

-The design of this aircraft, with an openable cockpit left pilots door which has a large door/window frame, possibly partially obstructed this tall pilots vision of traffic converging from the left, unless he hunched way over to see around the large door/window frame.