- Date
- January 1, 2015, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Apalachicola, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N657MCPiper PA-46-350P
- Defining event
- Taxi: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 9, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20150101000039A
- Case key
- 90576
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 inadequate visual lookout while taxiing, which resulted in the airplane striking a pole.
Findings · 1
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
After landing, the pilot taxied to the fixed base operator to park. As he approached the parking ramp, a lineman stood in front of a tie-down spot and raised both hands in the air signaling to the pilot where to park. The spot was next to a parked jet. The pilot said that while taxing to the parking spot he was concentrating on staying clear of the jet and did not see a light pole located at the edge of the ramp. The right wing struck the pole resulting in structural damage to the wing.
Factual narrative
After landing, the pilot taxied to the fixed base operator to park. As he approached the parking ramp, a lineman stood in front of a tie-down spot and raised both hands in the air signaling to the pilot where to park. The spot was next to a parked jet. The pilot said that while taxing to the parking spot he was concentrating on staying clear of the jet and did not see a light pole located at the edge of the ramp. The right wing struck the pole resulting in structural damage to the wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N657MC
- Reported as
- Piper PA-46-350P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4622007
- Built
- 1988
- Engine
- Lycoming TI0-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chicola Monty V
- Registered owner
- Chicola Monty V
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PNS · Pensacola, FL
- Destination
- AAF · Apalachicola, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- AAF · Apalachicola Regional
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 28, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,633 total · 1,545 in this make and model · 2,633 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Observed at
- AAF
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.