WPR12LA443

NTSB accident investigation · Beech V35A · Torrance, CA · September 28, 2012

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 28, 2012, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
Place
Torrance, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N6278VBeech V35A
Defining event
Taxi-from runway: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 11, 2014
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20120928022849A
Case key
85297

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 directional control during taxi, which resulted in a collision with a parked vehicle.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotBeech V35A: 7 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedBeech V35A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: ground vehicleEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeBeech V35A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 132 cases

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot landed the airplane and received a clearance to taxi to his hangar. During taxi, he attempted to make a left turn and found that, despite applying full left pedal, the airplane would not turn. The airplane veered off the taxiway surface and continued onto the main ramp area. The pilot could not stop the airplane before its left wing collided with a parked vehicle located on the ramp. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

On September 28, 2012, about 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Beechcraft BE-V35A, N6278V, taxied into a parked vehicle at Zamperini Field, Torrance, California. The pilot, who owned the airplane, was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certified flight instructor, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal local flight departed El Monte Airport, El Monte, California about 1400 with a planned destination of Torrance. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.In a written statement, the pilot reported that he landed and received a clearance to taxi to his hangar. During taxi, he attempted to make a left turn and found that despite inputting full left pedal, the airplane would not turn. The airplane veered off the taxiway surface into the dirt median and continued onto the main ramp area. The pilot could not stop the airplane prior to its left wing colliding with a parked vehicle that was located on the ramp. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector and aviation mechanic performed a postaccident examination of the airplane. The FAA inspector stated that the ruddervator system was examined from the cockpit to the ruddervators and there was no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures. The nose wheel steering was also inspected and operationally checked while the airplane was on jacks and no abnormalities were discovered. The inspector found no anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N6278V
Reported as
Beech V35A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
D-8602
Airframe hours
2,823
Engine
Cont Motor IO-520-B2A, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 26, 2012 · 2 hours before
Departed
EMT · El Monte, CA
Destination
TOA · Torrance, CA
Airport
TOA · Zamperini 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
79
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
April 16, 2012
Seat
Left
Flight hours
3,470 total · 460 in this make and model · 3,050 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
260° at 10 knots
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
20,000 ft broken
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 55 °F
Altimeter
29.90 inHg
Observed at
TOA

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 642 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.