# NTSB CEN11CA664: Boeing E75, N54087, Houston, TX, September 24, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 24, 2011, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place: Houston, TX
- Coordinates: 29.604444, -95.155281 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6044&lon=-95.1553&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining events: [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200); [Standing-engine(s) operating: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 3, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 81892
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA664
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81892/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81892
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA664

## Probable cause (aircraft 2)

The pilot of the other airplane’s failure to maintain visual contact while taxiing.

## Probable cause (aircraft 1)

The pilot’s failure to maintain visual contact while taxiing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Boeing E75, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=1380120), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot of other aircraft (probable cause), aircraft 2; cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Boeing E75, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=1380120), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md)
- [Standing-engine(s) operating: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event), aircraft 2; cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md)

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

After landing, the certified flight instructor and the student pilot turned off the runway, passed over the hold short lines, and stopped on the taxiway to perform the after-landing checklist. While performing these duties, the airplane was struck from behind by another airplane and sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and empennage. The other airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right wing spar.

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

After landing, the pilot was cleared to taxi his tailwheel-equipped airplane to the ramp and was aware that another airplane would be in front of him as he taxied. As he crossed over an active runway onto the taxiway, he steered straight ahead and did not perform any s-turns to maintain visual contact of the airplane ahead of him. As he cleared the runway, he looked down to change his radio frequency and suddenly realized that he needed to look out for the airplane in front of him. When he looked up, he saw the right wingtip of the other airplane and did not have time to stop before he collided into its tail. The collision resulted in substantial damage to the lower right wing spar. The other airplane sustained substantial damage to the entire tail section including the vertical stabilizer, the rudder, the horizontal stabilizer, and the empennage.

## Factual narrative (aircraft 2)

After landing, the certified flight instructor and the student pilot turned off the runway, passed over the hold short lines, and stopped on the taxiway to perform the after-landing check list. While performing these duties, the airplane was struck from behind by another airplane and sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, the rudder, the horizontal stabilizer, and the empennage. The other airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right wing spar.

## Factual narrative (aircraft 1)

After landing, the pilot was cleared to taxi his tail-wheel equipped airplane to the ramp and was aware that another airplane would be in front of him as he taxied. As he crossed over an active runway onto the taxiway, he steered straight ahead and did not perform any s-turns to maintain visual contact of the airplane ahead of him. As he cleared the runway, he looked down to change his radio frequency and suddenly realized that he needed to look out for the airplane in front of him. When he looked up, he saw the right wing tip of the other airplane and did not have time to stop before he collided into its tail. The collision resulted in substantial damage to the lower right wing spar. The other airplane sustained substantial damage to the entire tail section including the vertical stabilizer, the rudder, the horizontal stabilizer, and the empennage.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N54087](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N54087), registered now, S/N 75-1148 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING E75
- Registry model: [Boeing E75](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-e75) (registry code 1380120) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental W670 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-w670-series) (registry code 17018, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 75-1148
- Engines: CONT MOTOR W670 SERIES 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: History Flight Inc
- Registered owner: History Flight Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: EFD, Houston, TX
- Destination: EFD, Houston, TX
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: EFD, Ellington Field

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N72566](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N72566-2012-04-14), registration cancelled 2012-04-14, S/N 17281012 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R
- Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17281012
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Rhm Holdings LLC
- Registered owner: Rhm Holdings LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: EFD, Houston, TX
- Destination: EFD, Houston, TX
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: EFD, Ellington Field

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N54087; age 72; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 32,000 total, 1,200 in this make and model
- Flight instructor, aircraft N72566; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport, private, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 23,000 total, 92 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observed at: EFD

## FAA reports on this event (2)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20110924021922A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110924021922A), Sep 24, 2011: Boeing E75, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. On September 24, 2011 @ 13:30, the pilot of a stearman, N54087, registered to history flight, inc. landed and cleared runway 22 onto delta taxiway. He stated…
- [Accident 20110924021932A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110924021932A), Sep 24, 2011: Cessna 172R, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. On September 24, 2011 @ 13:30, the pilot of a stearman, N54087, reqistered to history flight, inc. landed and cleared runway 22 onto delta taxiway. He stated…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 29, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81892. 280 KB in all.

- Pilot Statements (item 1, .PDF, 211 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40354817&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statements-Redacted.PDF
- Record of Conversation-FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40354819&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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