- Date
- August 17, 2004, 08:31 local (12:31 UTC)
- Place
- Philadelphia, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N6816JPiper PA-28-151N181ABuchmann RV-6A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA reports
- 20040817022141A20040817022142A
- Case key
- 59932
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 inadequate visual lookout by the pilot of RV-6A and his failure to maintain clearance while taxiing, which resulted in an on-ground collision with the Piper.
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 pilot of the Piper contacted the ground controller and was cleared to taxi from the ramp area, to the active runway. The pilot of RV-6A also contacted the ground controller from the same ramp area, and was instructed to follow the Piper to the active runway. The RV-6A pilot looked out his left window and directly ahead, and did not observe the Piper. As the RV-6A began to taxi, the propeller struck the left wing of the Piper as it passed in front of the RV-6A from the right.
Factual narrative
On August 17, 2004, at 0831 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-151, N6816J, was substantially damaged when it was struck by another airplane, a homebuilt RV-6A, N181A, while both airplanes were taxing at the North Philadelphia Airport (PNE), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The RV-6A received minor damage during the collision. There were no injuries to either the certificated commercial pilot of the Piper, or the certificated commercial pilot of the RV-6A. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for either airplane. Both airplanes were on local flights conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot of the Piper, he had contacted the ground controller and was cleared to taxi from the Jet Center ramp area, to runway 24. Shortly afterwards, the pilot heard the pilot of the RV-6A contact the ground controller. The RV-6A pilot was instructed to taxi to runway 24 and that he would be taxiing behind another airplane. As the Piper pilot continued to taxi, he passed the RV-6A, which subsequently taxied into the left wing of the Piper.
According to the RV-6A pilot, he contacted the ground controller to request taxi instructions, and was instructed to taxi to runway 24, following a Piper. The RV-6A pilot looked out his left window and directly ahead, and did not observe the Piper. As the RV-6A began to taxi, the propeller struck the left wing of the Piper as it passed in front of the RV-6A from the right.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N6816J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7615365
- Airframe hours
- 4,521
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Soliman Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 26, 2004 · 52 hours before
- Departed
- PNE · Philadelphia, PA
- Airport
- PNE · Northeast Philadelphia Airport
- Registration
- N181A
- Reported as
- Buchmann RV-6A
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 60280
- Airframe hours
- 114
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Oscar A. Buchmann
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 4, 2003 · 114 hours before
- Departed
- PNE · Philadelphia, PA
- Airport
- PNE · Northeast Philadelphia Airport
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N6816J
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- October 14, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,050 total · 10,000 as pilot in command · 72 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N181A
- Age
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 23, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,604 total · 160 in this make and model · 1,557 as pilot in command · 106 in the last 90 days · 47 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- PNE
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.