# NTSB ERA13CA081: Beech F90, N44PA, Knoxville, TN, December 3, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 3, 2012, 15:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Knoxville, TN - Coordinates: 35.801109, -83.984443 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8011&lon=-83.9844&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-from runway: Airport occurrence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 10, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 85746 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13CA081 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85746/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85746 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA081 ## Probable cause The pilots’ decision to maneuver the airplane in close proximity to a hangar. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Copilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-from runway: Airport occurrence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070/sequence.md) - [Taxi-from runway: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis At the conclusion of an evaluation flight, the left seat pilot taxied the airplane to the hangar area under the direction of the right seat pilot. After reaching the hangar area, the left seat pilot initiated a 180-degree turn in order to better position the airplane for postflight ground handling. During the turn, the right side of the horizontal stabilizer struck one of the hangar’s support beams, resulting in substantial damage to the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, as well as the empennage. Following the accident, the operator instituted a new policy, which stated that an external spotter should be used when maneuvering in the vicinity of obstacles. ## Factual narrative At the conclusion of an evaluation flight, the left seat pilot taxied the airplane to the hangar area under the direction of the right seat pilot. After reaching the hangar area, the left seat pilot initiated a 180-degree turn in order to better position the airplane for post-flight ground handling. During the turn, the right side of the horizontal stabilizer struck one of the hangar’s support beams, resulting in substantial damage to the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, as well as the empennage. Following the accident, the operator instituted a new policy dictating that they will utilize the aid of an external spotter when maneuvering in the vicinity of obstacles. ## Aircraft - Registration: N44PA (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: BEECH F90 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: LA-149 - Airframe hours: 8714 - Engines: Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-135 750 horsepower turbo prop; U/A CANADA PT6A SERIES 715 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Grande Aviation - Registered owner: Sassafras Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, October 11, 2012 - Departed: 2A0, Dayton, TN - Destination: TYS, Knoxville, TN - Airport: TYS, McGhee Tyson Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 30, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 4,879 total, 2 in this make and model, 2,811 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 12, 2012; seat: right; flight hours: 5,684 total, 330 in this make and model, 5,624 as pilot in command, 151 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: TYS ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20121203028739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121203028739A), Dec 3, 2012: Beech F90, Knoxville, TN, Substantial damage. Description: at the completion of a company initial flight training for a new hire pilot the aircraft was taxied close to an adjacent shade hanger. A hard… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85746. 5.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 369 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384127&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 894 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384128&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20(Pilot)-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 - Damage to Horizontal Stabilizer/Elevator (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384131&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Damage%20to%20Horizontal%20Stabilizer%2FElevator%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Damage to Vertical Stabilizer (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384132&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Damage%20to%20Vertical%20Stabilizer%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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. --- 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.