Incident Overview
On August 15, 2008, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180 (registration N1044Y) operated by the South Carolina Forestry Commission collided with a stationary Beech J35 (registration N4398D) while taxiing at Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA) in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Cessna sustained substantial damage. Both pilots escaped without injury. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The Cessna was on a company visual flight rules flight plan for a public use aerial observation flight, while the Beech was conducting a local personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91.
Pilot Accounts
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Cessna reported an uneventful 2.5-hour aerial observation flight before returning to the departure airport. He announced his position and intentions about 5 miles out and heard glider traffic communications. Approximately 2 miles from the airport, the glider tow master advised that winch operations were in progress. After landing, the pilot taxied off the runway toward the hangar area, looking out the side windows. While turning right onto a taxiway leading to the hangars, he felt a thump and saw a man's face through his left window. He immediately shut down the engine and exited, discovering that the Cessna's propeller had torn into the Beech's left wing fuel tank.
The Beech pilot stated he had just completed an oil change and was performing an extended engine run-up before a brief local flight. He parked near the edge of the ramp, believing sufficient space existed for other aircraft to pass. About five minutes into the run-up, he noticed a “tail dragger coming down the taxiway fairly fast.” As the Cessna approached the intersection with the ramp area, it “came whipping around the corner” and struck the Beech. Both propellers contacted the left wings of the opposite airplanes.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The Cessna pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for single- and multi-engine land airplanes and instrument flying. He reported 17,000 total flight hours, with 10,000 hours in the Cessna 180 make and model.
The Beech pilot was a certificated commercial pilot.
Weather Conditions
The automated weather observation at SPA at 1535 reported wind from 070 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 4,300 feet and 7,000 feet.
The Federal Aviation Administration's Airplane Flying Handbook notes that tailwheel-type airplanes assume a nose-high attitude on the ground, making forward visibility difficult. It recommends zigzagging or making S-turns while taxiing to observe and avoid obstacles.