- Date
- April 3, 2019, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeland, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N4821SPiper PA32
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190403002449A
- Case key
- 99220
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 maintain clearance from a fence post during taxi to parking.
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 reported that, during taxi to parking, he was following the ground guide's arm and hand signals. The pilot turned the airplane right to maneuver it between a fence line on the left and a parked airplane on the right. During the right turn, the airplane's left wing struck a fence post. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during taxi to parking he was following the ground guides arm and hand signals. The pilot made a right turn to maneuver the airplane between a fence line on the left, and a parked airplane on the right. During the right turn, the airplane's left wing struck the fence post. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4821S
- Reported as
- Piper PA32 (260)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-1252
- Built
- 1969
- Airframe hours
- 2,879
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- 4821S Llc
- Registered owner
- 4821S Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 6, 2018
- Departed
- SGJ · St. Augustine, FL
- Destination
- SGJ · St. Augustine, FL
- Airport
- LAL · Lakeland Linder Intl
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 18, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 314.7 total · 83.5 in this make and model · 314.7 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KLAL, 2 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 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.