- Date
- August 21, 1999, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Belgrade, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N5359DCessna 180A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 2, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990821043039A
- Case key
- 47174
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
Clearance from objects was not maintained during taxiing. Factors include the pilot's inadequate visual lookout.
Analysis
The pilot stated that, because of camera equipment on the dash restricting his visibility, he turned into the parked airplane which he did not see while taxiing in from a flight. In a written statement, he stated that the collision occurred in a right turn with his attention diverted to the left.
Factual narrative
On August 21, 1999, at 0930 mountain standard time, N5359D, a Cessna 180A, was substantially damaged when the pilot taxied into a parked Beech V-35B after landing at Gallatin Field, Belgrade, Montana. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured. No flight plan was filed for the flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. There was no report of the ELT actuating.
The pilot stated that, because of camera equipment on the dash restricting his visibility, he turned into the parked airplane which he did not see. In a written statement, he stated that the collision occurred in a right turn with his attention diverted to the left. FAA inspectors confirmed that three or four ribs and leading edge skin on one wing of the Cessna 180A required repair or replacement. The pilot's medical certificate had been denied in January 1997.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5359D
- Reported as
- Cessna 180A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 50257
- Airframe hours
- 16,200
- Engine
- Continental O-470K, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Harris Aerial Survey, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 17, 1998
- Destination
- BZN
- Airport
- BZN · Gallatin Field
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
- 68
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25,000 total · 16,000 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 16,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KBZ
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 N5359D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.