# NTSB LAX02LA126: Piper PA-28-181, N4181M, Goodyear, AZ, April 5, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 5, 2002, 09:40 local (16:40 UTC) - Place: Goodyear, AZ - Coordinates: 33.426944, -112.382225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4269&lon=-112.3822&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION - NTSB case key (mKey): 54475 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA126 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54475/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54475 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA126 ## Probable cause The student pilot's misjudgment of clearance and his failure to adhere to the flight school's policy/procedures for taxiing around obstructions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - to takeoff - object - vehicle - procedures/directives - not followed, dual student (cause) - clearance - misjudged, dual student (cause) ## Analysis While taxiing to the active runway, the student pilot taxied into a parked refueling truck in the ramp area between shade hangars "G" and "F." The student thought there was enough room for him to maneuver around the refueling truck. The right wing struck the fuel tank and swung the airplane around where it came to a stop after the propeller struck the rear bumper of the truck. There were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane or braking system. According to the flight school's policy/procedures, if there is an obstruction to taxiing, a fuel truck or vehicle, the solo student must bring the airplane to a full stop and wait until the fuel truck or vehicle has moved. ## Factual narrative On April 5, 2002, about 0940 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N4181M, struck a fuel truck with its right wing while taxiing to runway 3 at the Phoenix Goodyear Airport, Goodyear, Arizona. The airplane was owned and operated by the Airline Training Center Arizona, Inc., under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, as an instructional flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area solo instructional flight, and no flight plan had been filed. In the student pilot's written statement, he had started to taxi to the run-up area between shade hangars "G" and "F" when he saw a fuel truck on the taxiway. He throttled back and applied the brakes. He thought that he could make it around the fuel truck so he let off the brakes and let the airplane roll. The right wing struck the fuel truck. The airplane swung around and came to a stop after the propeller struck the rear part of the aluminum fuel tank, and right rear bumper of the fuel truck. The student pilot stated that he remembered that his flight instructor had told him to never go by a fuel truck when he was alone in the airplane. He stated that there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane or braking system. According to the safety officer for the flight school, per their general operation's procedures training manual concerning taxiway obstructions: "If a solo student encounters a refueling operation, or any other vehicular form of taxiway blockage (complete or partial) along his/her taxi path, the student must STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE YELLOW LINE and wait for completion of refueling and movement of the fuel truck or vehicle before continuing to taxi." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4181M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4181M), registered now, S/N 2843120, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-360-A1D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (registry code 41504, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-43120 - Airframe hours: 3323 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Airline Training Ctr Az Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, February 5, 2002, 23 hours before - Departed: GYR, GOODYEAR, AZ - Destination: GYR, GOODYEAR, AZ - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: GYR, Phoenix Goodyear Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 21; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 50 total, 50 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: GYR ## 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 20020405004939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020405004939A), Apr 5, 2002: Piper PA28181, Goodyear, AZ, No damage. (.19) On April 5, 2002, about 0940 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N4181M, struck a fuel truck with it's right wing while taxiing to runway 3… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 19, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54475. 627 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 592 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40423347&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Excerpt from Airline Training Center AZ, Inc. concerning Taxiway Obstructions (item 2, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40166788&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20Airline%20Training%20Center%20AZ,%20Inc.%20concerning%20Taxiway%20Obstructions-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.