- Date
- February 20, 1990, 17:00 local (Feb 21, 1990, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N222ESPiper PA-34-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900220002509A
- Case key
- 26742
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 improper handling of the airplane during taxi.
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
Witnesses reported that the pilot taxied down a small incline on the apron and dragged the tail of the airplane. The pilot then turned the airplane around, proceeded back up the incline, striking the tail section again. Pilot did not submit an accident report; weight & balance data unknown.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N222ES
- Reported as
- Piper PA-34-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34-7250331
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Western Aero, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- OAK · Oakland, CA
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- FAT · Fresno
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N222ES · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.