- Date
- December 15, 2018, 09:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Moriarty, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N188HCessna 180
- Defining event
- Taxi: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181215022251A
- Case key
- 98777
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 a parked glider while taxiing from the runway.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, after landing, while exiting onto the taxiway, he decided to "cut the corner" instead of following the taxiway centerline. He did not see the parked glider to his right, and at the last second, he applied brakes. Subsequently, the airplane's tail rose, and the elevator struck the glider's vertical and horizontal stabilizer. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, after landing, while exiting onto the taxiway, he decided to "cut the corner" instead of following the taxiway centerline. He did not see the parked glider to his right and at the last second, he applied brakes, the airplane's tail came up, and the elevator struck the glider's vertical and horizontal stabilizer. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N188H
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18050652
- Built
- 1959
- Airframe hours
- 3,854
- Engine
- Continental O-470-50, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2018
- Departed
- E92 · Estancia, NM
- Destination
- 0E0 · Moriarty, NM
- Airport
- 0E0 · Moriarty Muni, runway 26, 7,702 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,700 total · 900 in this make and model · 1,700 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.32 inHg
- Observed at
- 0E0
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 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.