On October 8, 1990, a Mooney M20K (registration N252YD) operated by Thomas K Pischel was involved in an aviation accident near Rio Linda, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE AIRPLANE'S GROUND COLLISION WITH AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON WHO WAS LOCATED ON THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS RELATED TO THE NIGHTTIME (LIGHT) CONDITION WHICH LIMITED THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO SEE THE PERSON PRIOR TO THE IMPACT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a planned 10-minute night flight, an airplane collided with a person walking on the runway during landing rollout at an uncontrolled airport. The pilot did not observe the person in time. The person, who had been previously warned not to walk on the runway, was fatally injured.
Incident Summary
A planned 10-minute local nighttime flight ended in a collision when the airplane struck a person walking on the runway during the landing rollout. The incident occurred at an uncontrolled airport where the runway lights and the airplane's position lights were operating. The pilot reported not having observed the person in sufficient time to avoid the collision.
Sequence of Events
The pilot took off and landed at the same uncontrolled airport during a night flight. After landing, during the rollout phase, the airplane collided with a person who was walking on the runway. The pilot stated that he did not see the person early enough to avoid the impact. The person had previously been warned by airport management personnel not to walk on the runway.
Injuries and Damage
The person struck by the airplane sustained fatal injuries. The source does not specify damage to the airplane.
Previous Warnings
Airport management had previously warned the person not to walk on the runway, indicating a known risk of pedestrian presence on the runway.