- Date
- October 4, 1997, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cloverdale, IN
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N75511Boeing B75N1N9577HWaco CTO
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19971004030051A19971004030052A
- Case key
- 10759
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 Boeing pilot failed to identify the Waco airplane on the runway before initiating a takeoff. Factors related to the accident were: the restricted forward visibility of both pilots due to the tailwheel configurations of both airplanes.
the Boeing pilot failed to identify the Waco airplane on the runway before initiating a takeoff. Factors related to the accident were: the restricted forward visibility of both pilots due to the tailwheel configurations of both airplanes.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot of Waco CTO, NC9577H, had landed and was back taxing on runway 27, and the pilot of Boeing B75N1, N75511, was taking off on runway 27, when a collision of the airplanes occurred. The pilot of NC9577H reported that about half way down the runway, he made an S-turn, and as he was centering the airplane, he heard an engine noise and saw N75511 just before impact. The pilot of N75511 reported that he did not see anyone on the runway or in the traffic pattern before initiating his takeoff. N75511 was equipped with a radio, but NC9577H was not.
The pilot of Waco CTO, NC9577H, had landed and was back taxing on runway 27, and the pilot of Boeing B75N1, N75511, was taking off on runway 27, when a collision of the airplanes occurred. The pilot of NC9577H reported that about half way down the runway, he made an S-turn, and as he was centering the airplane, he heard an engine noise and saw N75511 just before impact. The pilot of N75511 reported that he did not see anyone on the runway or in the traffic pattern before initiating his takeoff. N75511 was equipped with a radio, but NC9577H was not.
Factual narrative
See Narrative CHI-98-L-A008A
On October 4, 1997, at 1600 eastern standard time, a Boeing B75N1, N75511, operated by an Airline Transport rated pilot collided with a Waco CTO, NC9577H, operated by a private pilot. The collision occurred as N75511 was taking off on runway 27 and NC9577H was back taxiing on the same runway at Pam's Place Airstrip in Cloverdale, Indiana. The pilot and passenger on N75511 were not injured nor was the pilot and passenger on NC9577H. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and flight plans were not filed for either airplane. Both airplanes were operating under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot of N75511 reported that he parked facing east in a parking area on the north side of the approach end of runway 27 where he boarded a passenger. He then made a right turn to the west and looked down the airstrip and did not see anyone. He then cleared final and base leg for traffic and without seeing anyone, he lined up on the airstrip for takeoff. He reported he advanced the throttle to full power and a few seconds later his left wing contacted NC9577H. He reported that his airplane ground looped to the left and came to rest heading north.
The pilot of NC9577H reported that after a local flight he returned to Pam's Place and landed on runway 27. After landing he turned the airplane to the east to back taxi on the airstrip to the hangar area. He reported that after using about 1,500' of the airstrip he made a S-turn to the south and back to the north. As he was turning back to center he heard an engine noise and saw N75511 just prior to impact. He reported that after the collision his airplane did not move.
The left wing of N75511 contacted the left side of NC9577H as they were moving in opposite directions when the collision took place. N75511 was equipped with a radio and NC9577H was not.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N75511
- Reported as
- Boeing B75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-7581
- Airframe hours
- 4,703
- Engine
- Continental W-670, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- R&B Aerial Advertising
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 24, 1997 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 78I
- Airport
- 5II0 · Pams Place, runway 27, 2,600 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Registration
- N9577H
- Reported as
- Waco CTO
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- A-47
- Airframe hours
- 440
- Engine
- Wright J6-7, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas S. Lozier
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 11, 1997 · 42 hours before
- Airport
- 5II0 · Pams Place, runway 27, 2,600 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N75511
- Age
- 61
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 28,000 total · 420 in this make and model · 22,001 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N9577H
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 540 total · 440 in this make and model · 515 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 23,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IND, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.