# NTSB GAA16CA119: Piper PA 28-161, N705RA, Everglades, FL, January 31, 2016

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: January 31, 2016, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: Everglades, FL
- Coordinates: 25.849166, -81.389999 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.8492&lon=-81.3900&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Taxi: Airport occurrence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 5, 2016
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 92688
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16CA119
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92688/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92688
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA119

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate wing clearance while taxiing, which resulted in a collision with two unoccupied airplanes.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Perception/orientation/illusion: situational awareness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot; cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi: Airport occurrence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070/sequence.md)
- [Taxi: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 58 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that after landing at an unfamiliar airport, and while taxiing, the airplane's right wing impacted two airplanes that were parked in the parking area, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The pilot reported that after landing at an unfamiliar airport, and while taxiing, the airplane's right wing impacted two airplanes that were parked in the parking area, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N705RA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N705RA-2021-07-31), registration cancelled 2021-07-31, S/N 28-7816178, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA 28-161 (Warrior II)
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-7816178
- Year built: 1977
- Airframe hours: 23850.6
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D3G 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Ari Ben Aviator Inc., doing business as Aviator College
- Registered owner: Ari Ben Aviator Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, January 29, 2016
- Departed: FPR, FORT PIERCE, FL
- Destination: X01, Everglades, FL
- Airport: X01, Everglades Airpark, runway 15, 2,400 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 14, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 215 total, 114 in this make and model, 125 as pilot in command, 49 in the last 90 days, 31 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: KMKY, 18 nm away

## 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 20160131000961A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160131000961A), Jan 31, 2016: Piper PA-28-161, Everglades City, FL, Substantial damage. Aircraft N705RA with 2 private pilots and 1 passenger in the rear sea landed at Everglades Airpark (X01) airport runway 33 and began taxing north on the east…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 18, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92688. 2.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437809&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Record of Phone Conversation (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 121 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437810&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Phone%20Conversation%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF
- Accident Photos (item 3, .PDF, 281 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437811&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photos-Master.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.

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