CEN12CA084

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 550 · Moline, IL · November 23, 2011

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 22, 2011, 20:30 local (Nov 23, 2011, 02:30 UTC)
Place
Moline, IL
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N544PSCessna 550
Defining event
Taxi: Ground collision
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report January 18, 2012
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20111122027702A
Case key
82400

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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the parked, unoccupied airplane while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the guidance provided by the marshaller.

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.

Personnel issuesPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAll aircraft: 137 casesProbable cause
Communication (personnel): issuing instructionsPersonnel issues › Task performance · Ground crewAll aircraft: 26 casesProbable cause

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

After landing at night, the pilot was taxiing the airplane on a ramp with the airplane's taxi lights illuminated and was paying attention to the ramp marshaller. The pilot originally thought the marshaller would have him park in the position directly next to the fixed base operator; however, the marshaller had the pilot execute a left 180-degree turn and park with the cabin door facing the door of the building. While watching the marshaller outside the right cockpit window, the pilot lost sight of a parked, unoccupied airplane. The pilot then noticed the parked airplane and attempted to stop; however, the airplane's left wing contacted the parked airplane's forward fuselage and nose landing gear. A postaccident examination of the accident airplane showed that the left wing was crushed and bent. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the contact with the parked airplane.

Factual narrative

After landing in dark night conditions, the pilot was taxing the airplane with the airplane's taxi lights illuminated on a ramp while paying attention to the ramp marshaller. The pilot originally thought the marshaller would have him park directly in the position next to the fixed based operator; however, the marshaller had the pilot execute a left 180-degree turn and park with the cabin door facing the door of the building. While watching the marshaller outside the right cockpit window, the pilot lost sight of a parked, unoccupied airplane, which he observed when he began entering the ramp. The pilot then noticed the parked airplane and attempted to stop; however, his airplane's left wing made contact with the parked airplane's forward fuselage and nose landing gear. Postaccident examination of the airplane showed the left wing was crushed and bent. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the contact with the parked airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N544PS
Reported as
Cessna 550
Category
Airplane
Serial number
550-0847
Airframe hours
7,292
Engines
P&W Canada 535A, 2,887 lbs thrust, turbo fanP&W Canada 530A, 4,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Ferry · Part 91
Operator
Pws Air LLC
Registered owner
Pws Air LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Last inspection
AAIP · November 3, 2011
Departed
TEB · Teterboro, NJ
Destination
MLI · Moline, IL
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
MLI · Quad Cities International

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
54
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
11,150 total · 750 in this make and model · 10,050 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Lowest ceiling
1,000 ft overcast

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 1, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 536 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.