# NTSB CEN24LA294: Mooney M20J, N555ED, Appleton, WI, July 24, 2024 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 24, 2024, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Appleton, WI - Coordinates: 44.251761, -88.510258 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.2518&lon=-88.5103&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 194812 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA294 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194812/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194812 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA294 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate wingtip clearance while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the ambiguous nonstandard parking at the time of the incident. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 116 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/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); cases with it: [Mooney M20J, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=5870219), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that while taxiing from a grass tiedown area, the airplane’s left wingtip struck the propeller of a parked airplane. She did not notice the wingtip strike, so she continued to taxi and obtained her instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. After transitioning to the paved taxiway yellow centerline stripe, the airplane’s right wing tip struck the propeller of a second parked airplane. The pilot shut down the engine and exited the airplane to examine the damage. The airplane sustained minor damage to both wings. The incident occurred during the annual Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture fly-in. The airport issued a Notice to Air Mission that was active at the time of the incident that advised operators “FBO RAMP, T HANGER RAMP PRKG NOT STD.” The pilot stated that it was not clear to her what this meant. The pilot recommended that additional personnel for wing walkers could have prevented the incident. According to the Aeronautical Information Manual, being centered on the taxiway centerline does not guarantee wingtip clearance with other aircraft or other objects. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N555ED](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N555ED), registered now, S/N 24-0684 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J - Registry model: [Mooney M20J](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (registry code 5870219) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-0684 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 5594 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A3B6 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 23, 2024 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: ATW, Appleton International Airport - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 10, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,186 total, 823.6 in this make and model, 1,053.2 as pilot in command, 37.6 in the last 90 days, 27.9 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,900 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: KATW, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KATW 241645Z 36004KT 10SM BKN029 21/14 A3019= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20240724018072I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240724018072I), Jul 24, 2024: Mooney M20J, Appleton, WI, Minor damage. On July 24, 2024 at 1250 CST, a Mooney M-20 aircraft [privacy data omitted]made contact with 2 other aircraft while taxiing the aircraft in the parking area at… ## Other investigations on N555ED (1) 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. - [NTSB WPR26LA214](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA214), May 31, 2026: Mooney M20J (N555ED), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage, investigation ongoing ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 21, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194812. 3.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18060434&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Report%20Form%20CEN24LA294_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18062436&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs%20CEN24LA294-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 233 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18064288&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20CEN24LA294-Rel.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.