Incident Details
As the DC-9 approached Taxiway C-4, the first officer advised the captain of an airplane at their eleven o'clock position. The captain applied brakes but could not stop before the DC-9's right wing struck the vertical stabilizer of a Cessna 310. The DC-9 captain reported that he did not see any lights on the Cessna.
Aircraft Positions
The Cessna pilot stated that he had been sitting in position to take the runway for approximately 3 minutes, about 3 feet from the hold line, with his rotating beacon and navigation lights on.
FAA Determination
The Federal Aviation Administration determined that the distance from the hold line on Taxiway C-4 to the center line of the taxiway was 90 feet. Half the width of the DC-9 and the length of the Cessna, plus the 3 feet from the hold line (the Cessna's position), left little room for separation of the airplanes.