- Date
- July 13, 2009, 21:15 local (Jul 14, 2009, 02:15 UTC)
- Place
- Cape Girardeau, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N544DSDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 40
- Defining event
- Taxi: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090713012299A
- Case key
- 74444
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The airplane's inoperative brakes while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot flew his airplane to a mechanic at a fixed base operator (FBO) for repairs to the airplane's brakes. The pilot reported that next day he called the mechanic and the mechanic indicated that the repairs would be complete and the airplane could be picked up later in the day. The pilot called the FBO where the person at the front desk found his keys and indicated that they would be waiting for him at the front desk. There was no note on the keys indicating that the repairs were not complete. The pilot did not detect that the brakes were not repaired during his preflight. The airplane did not stop when pressure was applied to both brakes during the taxi and it impacted a standing fuel truck. The pilot said that the mechanic left him a voice mail message indicating the brakes had not been repaired and that parts would be in the next day; however, he was not aware of the mechanic's message until after the accident occurred.
Factual narrative
The pilot flew his airplane to a mechanic at a fixed base operator (FBO) for repairs to the airplane's brakes. The pilot reported that next day he called the mechanic and the mechanic indicated that the repairs would be complete and the airplane could be picked up later in the day. He told the mechanic that he would pick up the plane that evening. The pilot said that he called the FBO where the person at the front desk found his keys and indicated that they would be waiting for him at the front desk. There was no note on the keys indicating that the repairs were not complete. The pilot preflighted the airplane and the brakes and wheels appeared normal. The brakes were "firm" when pressure was applied. The airplane was started and the pilot proceeded to taxi the airplane. He stated that the airplane did not stop when pressure was applied to both brakes. The airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted a standing fuel truck. The pilot said that the mechanic left him a voice mail message indicating the brakes had not been repaired and that parts would be in the next day. According to the pilot, he was not aware of the mechanic's message until after the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N544DS
- Reported as
- Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 40044
- Airframe hours
- 680
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360 M1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stone Kenneth D
- Registered owner
- Stone Kenneth D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 3, 2008
- Departed
- CGI · Cape Girardeau, MO
- Destination
- DXE · Dexter, MO
- Airport
- CGI · Cape Girardeau Regional Airpor
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 181 total · 131 in this make and model · 109 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Observed at
- CGI
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 963 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.