On June 25, 1992, a Piper J-3 (registration N88522) operated by Jehu D. Quillin was involved in an aviation accident near Ocean City, MD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to see a parked aircraft while taxiing, which resulted in contact between the wing strut and wing tip, followed by additional damage from the propeller striking the parked airplane's engine cowling. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Piper J-3 Cub drifted right while making S-turns on the ramp, striking a parked Piper PA-30 with its wing strut and propeller.
What happened
The incident occurred while the pilot was taxiing the aircraft toward a runway. During this maneuver, the pilot initiated a series of 'S' turns across the ramp area. As the airplane drifted to the right, the right wing strut of the J-3 made contact with the left wing tip of a parked PA-30. The pilot did not see the parked aircraft during the initial contact.
Following the initial impact, the J-3 pivoted to the right. This movement allowed the propeller of the moving aircraft to strike the inside of the PA-30's propeller and engine cowling. No further details regarding injuries or specific airport location were provided in the source record.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to see a parked aircraft while taxiing, which resulted in contact between the wing strut and wing tip, followed by additional damage from the propeller striking the parked airplane's engine cowling.