# NTSB ERA09LA506: Cessna 140, N3656V, Louisa, VA, September 5, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 5, 2009, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Louisa, VA - Coordinates: 38.005832, -77.968612 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0058&lon=-77.9686&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining events: [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200); [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 3, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74677 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09LA506 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74677/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74677 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA506 ## Probable cause (aircraft 1) The Cessna pilot's inadequate visual lookout. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Cessna 140, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot of other aircraft (probable cause), aircraft 2; cases with it: [Fisher Walter L LANCAIR 235, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md?model=056169R), [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Cessna 140, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=2071602), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) - [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event), aircraft 2; cases with it: [Fisher Walter L LANCAIR 235, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=056169R), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis (aircraft 1) The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Cessna was taxiing to the runway for takeoff when she impacted a Lancair that was holding short of the runway. The Cessna pilot had seen the Lancair in front of her, but briefly lost sight of it prior to the collision. Following the collision, both pilots shut down their airplanes and exited without incident. They observed that the Cessna's propeller had struck the right horizontal stabilizer and empennage of the Lancair several times, resulting in substantial damage to the Lancair. ## Factual narrative (aircraft 1) On September 5, 2009, about 1230 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Lancair 235, N290W, was substantially damaged when it was struck by a taxiing Cessna 140, N3656V, at Louisa County Airport (LKU), Louisa, Virginia. The certificated private pilot of the Lancair, and the certificated private pilot of the Cessna, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Neither the Lancair pilot nor the Cessna pilot had filed flights plans for the personal flights, which were conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Both pilots were attending a fly-in event held at LKU, a non-towered airport with a single east-west oriented runway. Volunteer ground personnel were present on the day of the fly-in to assist marshaling aircraft out of the parking area. According to the pilot of the Lancair, he started his airplane and was cleared by ground personnel to taxi to runway 27. While holding short of the runway, he conducted an engine run-up and was waiting for two airplanes to land before taxiing onto the runway for takeoff. He then felt "impacts that lasted approximately 3 seconds." The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Cessna reported that she was taxiing to runway 27, and following the Lancair in front of her at "a safe distance" while conducting "proper turns." As she taxied up to the runway hold short line, she lost sight of the Lancair, and felt her airplane's propeller "strike something." The pilot stated that she "stopped" as soon as she realized what had happened. Following the collision, both pilots shut down their airplanes and exited without incident. They observed that the Cessna's propeller had struck the right horizontal stabilizer and empennage of the Lancair several times, resulting in substantial damage to the Lancair. The pilot of the Cessna held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. She reported 1,875 total hours of flight experience, 1,600 hours of which were in the accident airplane make and model. Her most recent third-class FAA medical certificate was issued in July, 2009. The pilot of the Lancair held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine and multiengine land, and an instrument rating. He reported 3,570 hours total flight experience. His most recent third-class FAA medical certificate was issued in August, 2009. The weather conditions reported at LKU, at 1220, included winds from 310 degrees at 4 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, and clear skies. The Federal Aviation Administration Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3A) states, "Since a tailwheel-type airplane rests on the tailwheel as well as the main landing wheels, it assumes a nose-high attitude when on the ground…Consequently, objects directly ahead of the airplane are difficult, if not impossible, to see. To observe and avoid colliding with any objects or hazardous surface conditions, the pilot should alternately turnthe nose from one side to the other – that is, zigzag, or make a series of short S-turns while taxiing forward." ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N3656V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3656V), registered now, S/N 14927 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 140 (A) - Registry model: [Cessna 140](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-140) (registry code 2071602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 14927 - Engines: Continental C90 95 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sara L Parmenter - Registered owner: Sara L Parmenter - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: LKU, Louisa, VA - Destination: LKU, Louisa, VA - Airport: LKU, Louisa County/Freeman Field ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N290W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N290W-2017-10-24), registration cancelled 2017-10-24, S/N 115, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LANCAIR 235 - Registry model: [Fisher Walter L LANCAIR 235](https://openairdocs.org/model/fisher-walter-l-lancair-235) (registry code 056169R) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 115 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Richard S Williams - Registered owner: Richard S Williams - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: LKU, Louisa, VA - Destination: LKU, Louisa, VA - Airport: LKU, Louisa County/Freeman Field ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N3656V; age 85; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1,875 total, 1,600 in this make and model - Pilot, aircraft N290W; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 3,400 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Observed at: LKU ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74677. 971 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 for N3656V (item 1, .PDF, 453 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320769&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20for%20N3656V-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 for N290W (item 2, .PDF, 518 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320770&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20for%20N290W-Redacted.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.