On May 21, 1999, a Beech A36 (registration N8178N) operated by Jal Flight Crew Trng Center was involved in an aviation accident near Willows, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate clearance with a parked trailer while taxiing the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot reported that while on final approach, after hearing other traffic, he turned onto a midfield taxiway and his right wing hit a parked tandem semitrailer, spinning the aircraft and embedding its nose between trailers.
Incident Overview
A student pilot was on final approach when he heard another pilot announce over the UNICOM frequency that he was entering the left downwind leg for the same runway. A third pilot stated that he was making a straight-in approach for an intersecting runway. The student pilot had initially planned to taxi the full length of the runway and then turn right to the transient parking area, but he changed his mind after hearing the approaching aircraft.
Sequence of Events
After changing his plan, the pilot turned left onto a midfield taxiway. He then observed a parked trailer off to his right side. While maintaining the taxiway centerline and watching for landing traffic, he reported that he was unable to pay attention to his right wing tip. Subsequently, the aircraft swerved to the right, and the right wing impacted a tandem semitrailer. The collision caused the aircraft to spin around, and the nose became embedded between two trailers.
Context
According to a representative from the flight school, the trailers were being used for seasonal agricultural operations and were not normally present on the airport.