Summary
On March 15, 2016, a Nakajima A6M2 MODEL 21 (N8280K) was involved in an incident near Midland, TX. 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 Goodyear pilot did not see and avoid the Nakajima ahead on the taxiway.
The six-ship formation of vintage World War II airplanes had completed their run-ups on the taxiway and were preparing for departure. A departure clearance was received from air traffic control and the six-ship formation proceeded to the runway for takeoff. The Goodyear "Corsair" airplane was sixth in formation and trailing the Nakajima "Zero" airplane. These tailwheel airplanes required the pilots to taxi in an S-turn pattern due to the limited forward visibility. As the Corsair pilot proceeded with the S-turn taxi to the runway, the Corsair overtook the Zero and collided with its tail. The Zero spun right about 270 degrees and came to rest. The Corsair stopped quickly and its propeller impacted the taxiway.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN16CA126. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8280K.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The Goodyear pilot did not see and avoid the Nakajima ahead on the taxiway.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The six-ship formation of vintage World War II airplanes had completed their run-ups on the taxiway and were preparing for departure. A departure clearance was received from air traffic control and the six-ship formation proceeded to the runway for takeoff. The Goodyear "Corsair" airplane was sixth in formation and trailing the Nakajima "Zero" airplane. These tailwheel airplanes required the pilots to taxi in an S-turn pattern due to the limited forward visibility. As the Corsair pilot proceeded with the S-turn taxi to the runway, the Corsair overtook the Zero and collided with its tail. The Zero spun right about 270 degrees and came to rest. The Corsair stopped quickly and its propeller impacted the taxiway. The Zero sustained substantial damage to the empennage and the Corsair sustained minor damage. The pilots conducted an accident debrief and determined that a lack of "vigilance" was to blame. Both pilots reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframes or engines that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN16CA126