No fatalities

28 May 2009: PIPER PA-38-112 — Grangeville, ID

Grangeville, ID, United States

On 28 May 2009, a PIPER PA-38-112 was involved in an aviation accident near Grangeville, ID. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an obstacle during taxi. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot, after landing and exiting the runway, inadvertently taxied onto a roadway, became distracted by an automobile, and struck a sign post with the left wing, causing substantial damage.

Accident Overview

A student pilot had just landed the airplane and exited the runway at a taxiway. While taxiing toward a fueling facility, the pilot inadvertently turned onto a roadway designated for automobile traffic. Shortly thereafter, the pilot became distracted by an automobile, and the left wing of the airplane struck a sign post. The airplane then departed the roadway and came to rest in a ditch. During the accident sequence, the left wing sustained substantial damage.

Details from the Investigation

The aircraft was being taxied by a student pilot after landing. The pilot exited the runway via a taxiway and proceeded toward the fueling facility. The pilot inadvertently entered a roadway intended for automobiles. While on the roadway, the pilot's attention was diverted by an automobile, leading to the left wing contacting a sign post. The impact caused the airplane to leave the roadway and come to a stop in a ditch. The left wing was substantially damaged.

Damage and Aftermath

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. No other damage details were provided. The aircraft came to rest in a ditch adjacent to the roadway.

Contributing factors

PilotResponse/compensation