- Date
- September 14, 2004, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Monterey, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N5300RPiper PA-32R-301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20040914024929A
- Case key
- 60144
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 proper alignment with the taxiway and adequate obstacle clearance. A factor was the bright morning sunglare.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane drifted left, off the taxiway centerline, and the left wing struck a yellow post that guarded a fire hydrant. While taxing outbound from the airplane's hangar, bright morning sunglare distracted the pilot.
Factual narrative
On September 14, 2004, at 0830 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301, N5300R, collided with a metal fire hydrant guard post while taxing for takeoff at Monterey, California. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed for the local area personal flight.
The pilot stated to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that while taxing outbound from the airplane's hangar, bright morning sunglare distracted him. The airplane drifted left, off the taxiway centerline, and the left wing struck a yellow post that guarded a fire hydrant.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5300R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3246185
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Arthur Chatoff
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KMRY · Monterey, CA
- Destination
- Monterey, CA
- Airport
- KMRY · Monterey
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 357 total · 237 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.