FlightFinder
Check my flight
No fatalities

Airplane Collides with Parked Aircraft During Taxi in Snowy Conditions (N4108S)

Yipsilanti, MI, US

On January 25, 1996, a Beech 58 (registration N4108S) was involved in an aviation accident near Yipsilanti, MI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: was the pilot not maintaining visual separation with the parked airplanes. A factor in this accident was the pilot's over- confidence in his personal ability to taxi onto the parking ramp with the snowfall he was encountering. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot taxied onto a parking ramp and collided with a parked airplane. The pilot cited floodlights, taxilight, and falling snow causing reflection, and the dark color of the struck airplane blending with a hangar's dark area.

Incident Description

A pilot was taxiing onto a parking ramp when his airplane collided with an airplane that was already parked. The pilot provided details of the circumstances leading to the collision.

Environmental Factors

The pilot reported that a hangar on the ramp's edge was equipped with 15 floodlights along its top edge. A dark area on the middle section of the hangar was also noted. According to the pilot, the combination of the flood lights, his airplane's taxilight, and falling snow created light reflection that made it difficult to see the parked airplane.

Investigation Findings

An FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) confirmed the pilot's statement regarding the floodlights. Additionally, the PMI confirmed that no taxiway or ramp markings were available in the area. The pilot stated that the dark color of the airplane his airplane struck blended in with the hangar's dark area.

Related events

Same aircraft family

All Beechcraft Baron 58 accidents →

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 25 Jan 1996 Beech 58 accident near Yipsilanti, MI?

A pilot taxied onto a parking ramp and collided with a parked airplane. The pilot cited floodlights, taxilight, and falling snow causing reflection, and the dark color of the struck airplane blending with a hangar's dark area.

Were there any fatalities in the 25 Jan 1996 Beech 58 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 25 Jan 1996 involved a Beech 58, registration N4108S, at Yipsilanti, MI.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

was the pilot not maintaining visual separation with the parked airplanes. A factor in this accident was the pilot's over- confidence in his personal ability to taxi onto the parking ramp with the snowfall he was encountering.

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X05117. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.