- Date
- October 5, 2015, 20:00 local (Oct 6, 2015, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Monterey, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N53WWRaytheon A36
- Defining event
- Taxi: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report January 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20151005019829A
- Case key
- 92126
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 see and avoid runway signage during taxi after landing, resulting in a collision and substantial damage to the left wing of the airplane.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot reported that after landing, while taxiing to his hangar at night, he struck a distance remaining sign. He reported that all of the runway and taxiway lights were inoperative at the time he impacted the sign. The pilot also reported that the airplane landing and taxi lights were inoperative. When asked, the pilot could not recall if the airplane landing and taxi lights were operative during the preflight which he affirms was conducted. After the impact, the pilot continued to his hangar, secured the airplane, and contacted the airport manager the following morning. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The runway and taxiway lights were inoperative at the time of the accident, but the appropriate NOTAM had been issued, and the information was available to the pilot.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after landing, while taxiing to his hangar at night, he struck a distance remaining sign. He reported that all of the runway and taxiway lights were inoperative at the time he impacted the sign. The pilot also reported that the airplane landing and taxi lights were inoperative. When asked, the pilot could not recall if the airplane landing and taxi lights were operative during the preflight which he affirms was conducted. After the impact, the pilot continued to his hangar, secured the airplane, and contacted the airport manager the following morning. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The runway and taxiway lights were inoperative at the time of the accident, but the appropriate NOTAM had been issued, and the information was available to the pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53WW
- Reported as
- Raytheon A36 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-3480
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 1,008
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-B39B, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Steven G. John
- Registered owner
- Steven G. John
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 27, 2014
- Departed
- PAO · Palo Alto, CA
- Destination
- MRY · Monterey, CA
- Airport
- MRY · Monterey Rgnl, runway 28L, 7,440 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 27, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 508 total · 371 in this make and model · 371 as pilot in command · 10.6 in the last 90 days · 1.5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- MRY
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 24, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 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.