- Date
- January 27, 2013, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N8385SPiper PA-32-301
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130127001579A
- Case key
- 86119
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 clearance from a parked vehicle while taxiing from landing.
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, while taxiing back to the hangar, she noticed a parked vehicle in the distance and off to the right of the taxiway she was traveling on. The pilot applied brakes to slow the airplane and looked to her right to ensure there was adequate space between the wing and the vehicle. The pilot returned her eyes to the taxiway in front of her momentarily but turned her attention to the vehicle once again for reassurance, at which time the airplane struck the vehicle, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while taxiing out to the runway in her low wing configured airplane, she was forced to steer her aircraft well to the right of the taxiway to avoid hitting a parked vehicle. When the pilot was taxiing back to the hangar she noticed the same parked vehicle in the distance and off to the right of the taxiway she was traveling on. The pilot applied brakes to slow the airplane and looked to her right to ensure there was adequate space between the wing and the vehicle. The pilot returned her eyes to the taxiway in front of her momentarily, but turned her attention to the vehicle once again for reassurance at which time the airplane struck the vehicle resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that could have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8385S
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-8106065
- Airframe hours
- 4,808
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Belair Flying Club Inc
- Registered owner
- Belair Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 16, 2012 · 167 hours before
- Departed
- LNS · Lancaster, PA
- Destination
- LNS · Lancaster, PA
- Airport
- LNS · Lancaster Airport
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 5, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 697 total · 344 in this make and model · 503 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.47 inHg
- Observed at
- LNS
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 15, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.
Other investigations on N8385S · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.