- Date
- May 6, 2020, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Perris, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N58646Cessna 182
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminsitration
- Case key
- 101274
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 diverted attention while taxing which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from the skip loader during taxi.
Findings · 2
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.
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 reported that while taxing for takeoff, he observed a skip loader on the immediate left edge of the taxiway and noted there was sufficient clearance to avoid it. However, during the taxi, his attention was distracted by setting up the GPS for the flight, and the airplane drifted left, and subsequently struck the skip loader. The right horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while taxing for takeoff, he observed a skip loader on the immediate left edge of the taxiway and noted there was sufficient clearance to avoid it. However, during the taxi, his attention was distracted by setting up the GPS for the flight, and the airplane drifted left, and subsequently struck the skip loader. The right horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N58646
- Reported as
- Cessna 182 (P)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18262202
- Built
- 1973
- Airframe hours
- 8,420.7
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 14, 2019
- Departed
- L65 · Perris, CA
- Destination
- PSP · Palm Springs, CA
- Airport
- L65 · Perris Valley, runway 33, 5,100 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 5, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 971 total · 192 in this make and model · 971 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- KHMT, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 6, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.2 MB in all.