- Date
- August 5, 2015, 08:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place
- Spanish Fork, UT
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N560JFCessna 560XL
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 8, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Salt Lake City FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20150805011529A
- Case key
- 91721
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 Captain's decision to taxi on a closed taxiway, which resulted in a collision with a parked construction vehicle. Contributing to the accident was a ground crew employee's decision to move barricades from the closed taxiway.
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
During taxi to the runway, the Captain reported that he originally planned to back taxi on the runway, but he observed a gyroplane waiting to takeoff and decided to taxi on the closed taxiways to allow the other aircraft to depart. As the taxi progressed on the closed taxiway, the Captain reported that his First Officer stated, "Watch that left side!" When the Captain looked to his left, he observed the left wing of the airplane strike a construction vehicle that was parked next to the taxiway. After the collision, the Captain stopped the airplane and shutdown the engines on the taxiway. The Captain stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The Captain stated that there were no barricades present on the closed taxiways, and the construction vehicle was not marked or flagged. The Captain also reported that he checked the notices to airmen (NOTAMs) during preflight and was aware of the taxiway closures at the departure airport. During postaccident interviews, an employee of the fixed based operator (FBO) stated that he moved the barricades on the closed taxiways earlier in the morning so that another airplane could depart. The airport manager stated that the taxiways were published closed and he did not provide any instructions to move the barricades.
Factual narrative
During taxi to the runway, the Captain reported that he originally planned to back taxi on the runway, but he observed a gyroplane waiting to takeoff and decided to taxi on the closed taxiways to allow the other aircraft to depart. As the taxi progressed on the closed taxiway, the Captain reported that his First Officer stated, "Watch that left side!" When the Captain looked to his left, he observed the left wing of the airplane strike a construction vehicle that was parked next to the taxiway. After the collision, the Captain stopped the airplane and shutdown the engines on the taxiway. The Captain stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The Captain stated that there were no barricades present on the closed taxiways, and the construction vehicle was not marked or flagged. The Captain also reported that he checked the notices to airmen (NOTAMs) during preflight and was aware of the taxiway closures at the departure airport. During postaccident interviews, an employee of the fixed based operator (FBO) stated that he moved the barricades on the closed taxiways earlier in the morning so that another airplane could depart. The airport manager stated that the taxiways were published closed and he did not provide any instructions to move the barricades.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N560JF
- Reported as
- Cessna 560XL (ENCORE)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5605173
- Built
- 2001
- Airframe hours
- 4,022
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney PW - 545 A, 3,804 lbs thrust, turbo fanPratt & Whitney PW-545-A, 3,804 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Operator
- Snow Peak Ventures LLC
- Registered owner
- Snow Peak Ventures LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 11, 2015
- Departed
- U77 · Spanish Fork, UT
- Destination
- SGU · St George, UT
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- U77 · Spanish Fork-Springville-Woodh, runway 12, 5,700 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 19, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 4,820 total · 740 in this make and model · 2,995 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 18, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 2,361 total · 576 in this make and model · 1,150 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KPVU, 5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 29, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.