Summary
On June 12, 2011, a Mooney Aircraft Corp. M20K (N5765D) was involved in an incident near Page, AZ. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's selection of the wrong taxi route and failure to follow prescribed taxi procedures.
The pilot reported that he was taxiing from the transient parking towards the runway for takeoff. It was dusk at the time and he was proceeding at a walking pace (2-3 miles per hour) to the taxiway when he encountered a large ditch at the end of the tarmac. The airplane rolled into the ditch bending the prop and the empennage. The pilot commented that there were no signs, reflectors, warnings, or other indications that the ditch was there. The airport manager reported that the taxi route from the transient area is clearly marked with in ground reflectors which lead to a lit taxiway and then the runway.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR11CA257. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5765D.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's selection of the wrong taxi route and failure to follow prescribed taxi procedures.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was taxiing from the transient parking towards the runway for takeoff. It was dusk at the time and he was proceeding at a walking pace (2-3 miles per hour) to the taxiway when he encountered a large ditch at the end of the tarmac. The airplane rolled into the ditch bending the prop and the empennage. The pilot commented that there were no signs, reflectors, warnings, or other indications that the ditch was there. The airport manager reported that the taxi route from the transient area is clearly marked with in ground reflectors which lead to a lit taxiway and then the runway. The manager stated that it appears that from the transient parking area where the pilot was parked he proceeded directly to the taxiway, crossing a set of double solid lines that demarcate the taxiway edge, and crossed into a helicopter operating/parking area. From there he crossed a marked service road, past a helicopter landing pad, and past a lit windsock and into the drainage ditch. The airport manager further reported that as the area is clearly marked and only intended for helicopter traffic there is no extra signage warning of the ditch.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR11CA257