# NTSB WPR10LA189: Piper PA-31-350, N61384, Honolulu, HI, April 4, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 4, 2010, 10:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Honolulu, HI - Coordinates: 21.318611, -157.922225 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3186&lon=-157.9222&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 12, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 75647 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA189 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75647/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75647 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA189 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a parked airplane during taxi due to his inadequate visual lookout. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-350, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=7103110), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified; cases with it: [Piper PA-31-350, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040/cases.md?model=7103110), [All aircraft, 116 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-31-350, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=7103110), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was taxing to the runway when his airplane collided with an unoccupied, parked airplane. A witness observed the accident and approached the pilot shortly after the collision to render aid. He queried the pilot as to what had happened. The pilot stated that he was not paying attention and was occupied with adjusting radios and instruments. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site reported that the airplane left two skid marks, which appeared to be a result of hard braking. ## Factual narrative On April 04, 2010, about 1015 Hawaiian standard time, a Piper PA-31-350, N61384, taxied into a parked airplane at the Honolulu International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii. Pacific Air Charters was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country flight was taxiing to the departure runway for a planned destination of Lihue, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. In a telephone conversation, the pilot reported that he was taxiing to runway 04R when his airplane collided with an occupied, parked Cessna airplane. A witness, who was additionally a pilot, reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he observed the Piper taxi into a parked Cessna. The pilot exited the airplane and was visibly shaken. He asked the pilot what happened and the pilot responded by saying that he was just not "paying attention and was occupied with adjusting radios and instruments." The Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Honolulu Flight Standards District Office who responded to the accident site stated that the airplane left two skid marks, which appeared to be a result of hard braking. The right skid mark measured 118 inches and the left was 72 inches. A routine aviation weather report (METAR) for the Honolulu International Airport was issued at 0953. It stated: winds from 060 degrees at 13 knots, with a note that peak wind at 0940 was 050 degrees at 29 knots. In a written statement provided by the Chief Pilot for the operator, he stated that the pilot was taxiing from refueling to a hangar area. During taxi, the airplane encountered a gust of wind channeling between hangars and the pilot lost directional control. The airplane veered left into a parked airplane. He noted that the taxiway surface was wet from a light rain. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61384](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61384-2024-01-06), registration cancelled 2024-01-06, S/N 31-7552102, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350 - Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31-7552102 - Airframe hours: 6224 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540 SER 310 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING TI0-540 SER 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Pacific Air Charters - Registered owner: Cmvm Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 25, 2010, 4 hours before - Departed: PNL, Honolulu, HI - Destination: LIH, Lihue, HI - Airport: PNL, Honolulu International Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 77; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 22, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 16,010 total, 10,000 in this make and model, 15,980 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 13 knots, gusting 29 - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: PHNL ## 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 20100404031151A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100404031151A), Apr 4, 2010: Piper PA-31-350, Honolulu, HI, Substantial damage. Sunday 4-4-2010 13:11 notified to investigate an aircraft accident on Honolulu airfield. N61384, PA31, pacific air charters, refueled, returned to ramp to… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75647. 548 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 487 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328655&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 8 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339170&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation: Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339171&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%3A%20Pilot-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.