# NTSB ERA20CA243: Piper PA28, N6958J, Greenwood, SC, June 7, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 7, 2020, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC) - Place: Greenwood, SC - Coordinates: 34.250278, -82.157775 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2503&lon=-82.1578&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101572 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA243 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101572/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101572 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA243 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a parked airplane while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the parked airplane's position over the double-yellow taxiway edge lines and into the taxiway object-free movement area. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wing structure: flight surfaces (wing)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 53 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, he landed and taxied back on the east/west parallel taxiway for a subsequent departure on the same runway to the west. The taxiway traversed an open parking ramp and as the airplane transitioned onto the ramp, an unidentified marshaller directed the airplane down a north/south taxiway that circumnavigated hangars on the south side of the airport. According to the pilot, airplanes were parked along both sides with many parked across the double-yellow taxiway edge lines and into the taxiway object-free movement area. The student pilot said he endeavored to keep the nose wheel on the taxiway centerline as he'd been taught to maintain clearance. While taxiing, the left wing of the airplane contacted a parked airplane, pivoted around the contact point, and struck the tail with the turning propeller. The accident airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to airport personnel, there was overwhelming response to a breakfast fly-in that morning that was neither NOTAMed nor anticipated, and overflow parking was not easily accommodated due to heavy rains and heavily soaked infield areas. Photos taken immediately after the accident depicted several airplanes parked over the double-yellow taxiway edge lines and into the taxiway object-free movement area. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot, he landed and taxied back on the east/west parallel taxiway for a subsequent departure on the same runway to the west. The taxiway traversed an open parking ramp and as the airplane transitioned onto the ramp, an unidentified marshaller directed the airplane down a north/south taxiway that circumnavigated hangars on the south side of the airport. According to the pilot, airplanes were parked along both sides with many parked across the double-yellow taxiway edge lines and into the taxiway object-free movement area.The student pilot said he endeavored to keep the nose wheel on the taxiway centerline as he'd been taught to maintain clearance. While taxiing, the left wing of the airplane contacted a parked airplane, pivoted around the contact point, and struck the tail with the turning propeller. The accident airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to airport personnel, there was overwhelming response to a breakfast fly-in that morning that was neither NOTAMed nor anticipated, and overflow parking was not easily accommodated due to heavy rains and heavily soaked infield areas. Photos taken immediately after the accident depicted several airplanes parked over the double-yellow taxiway edge lines and into the taxiway object-free movement area. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6958J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6958J), registered now, S/N 28-7690441, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA28 (181) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7690441 - Year built: 1976 - Airframe hours: 4644 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 13, 2020 - Departed: K3J7, Greensboro, GA - Destination: GRD, Greenwood, SC - Airport: GRD, Greenwood County - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 70; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 110 total, 110 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KGRD ## 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 20200607006612A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200607006612A), Jun 7, 2020: Piper PA-28-181, Greenwood, SC, Substantial damage. Aircraft N6958J landed runway 27 at Greenwood County Airport (grd). The pilot entered taxiway (a) and then to taxiway (c). The pilot was taxing back to runway… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101572. 5.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10017557&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Brian_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10016346&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 249 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10018476&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CA243%20Photo%20Array-Rel.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.