- Date
- December 31, 2012, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Rutland, VT
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N256DBRaytheon A36
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121231027349A
- Case key
- 85921
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 control of the airplane while maneuvering on a snow-packed surface after landing, which resulted in a collision with a fuel truck.
Findings · 3
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.
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
According to the pilot, after landing, he taxied the airplane to the fixed base operator in order to use the external heater plugs on the ramp. He reported that he initiated a left turn as the airplane approached a parked fuel truck; however, due to snow-packed ramp conditions, the airplane continued straight. The pilot added more power and applied left rudder to get the airplane to turn. The right wing tip impacted the fuel truck grounding wire wheel. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar on the outboard 3 feet of the wing with one wing rib exposed. No other damage was noted on the airplane. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, after landing he taxied the airplane to the fixed base operator in order to use the external heater plugs on the ramp. In a written statement the pilot reported the airplane approached a parked fuel truck and he initiated a left turn; however, due to snow packed ramp conditions the airplane continued straight. He subsequently added more power and left rudder to get the airplane to turn. The right wing tip impacted the fuel truck grounding wire wheel. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar on the outboard 3 feet of the wing with one wing rib exposed. No other damage was noted on the airplane. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N256DB
- Reported as
- Raytheon A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-3081
- Airframe hours
- 2,307
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gary Sinensky
- Registered owner
- Gary Sinensky
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2012 · 79 hours before
- Departed
- N07 · Lincoln Park Ai, NJ
- Destination
- RUT · Rutland, VT
- Airport
- RUT · Rutland - Southern Vermont Reg, runway 19, 5,003 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 9, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 667 total · 79 in this make and model · 562 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- RUT, 1 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 6, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB 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.