# Incident 20240617006099I: Piper PA-12, Fort Smith, AR, June 17, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 17, 2024, 08:55 local time
- Place: Fort Smith, AR
- Airport: Fort Smith Regional
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.3366° N, 94.3661° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FORT SMITH RGNL (FSM), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3366&lon=-94.3661&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4180M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4180M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 4,315 total, 3 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240617006099I

## Narrative

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

DURING THE INCIDENT SEQUENCE THE PILOT WAS TAXIING ACROSS RUNWAY 20 AT TAXIWAY G AT FORT SMITH REGIONAL AIRPORT. AS THE PILOT WAS CLEARING THE RUNWAY, FORT SMITH GROUND CONTROL INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO “HOLD SHORT OF RUNWAY 20.” THE PILOT WAS SURPRISED BY THE INSTRUCTION THAT WAS GIVEN BY GROUND CONTROL AS HE HAD ALREADY BEEN CLEARED TO CROSS RUNWAY 20. THE PILOT, THINKING HE HAD MISUNDERSTOOD HIS PREVIOUS CLEARANCE, APPLIED THE HEEL BRAKES CAUSING THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE TO COME UP AND THE NOSE TO COME DOWN. THIS CAUSED THE AIRPLANE’S PROPELLOR AND NOSE CONE TO STRIKE THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ON IT’S NOSE WITH A BENT PROPELLER.

## Other reports on N4180M (1)

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

- [Incident 20100218027469I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100218027469I), Feb 18, 2010: Piper PA-12 (N4180M), Cleburne, TX, Minor damage. Pilot landed aircraft hard and lost control and exited runway and ran into fence.

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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