3 May 2015: PIPER J3C-65 — Joseph A. Begany

3 May 2015: PIPER J3C-65 (N4678A) — Joseph A. Begany

No fatalities • De Kalb, IL, United States

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of positional awareness while taxiing, resulting in a collision with a parked and unoccupied airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's difficulty seeing over the nose of the airplane, his preoccupation with trying to control the airplane in the wind, and his minimal experience in the airplane.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

The pilot, who was in the rear tandem seat of the tailwheel airplane, had just landed and was taxing to the fuel pumps to refuel. He did not see the parked Beech A36 over the nose of his airplane and collided with the right wing of N4678A. The pilot said the accident could have been prevented if he had followed the taxi line on the tarmac. He also blamed his "less than effective brakes" that didn't help as he tried to control the airplane in the wind. This caused his attention to be diverted and he lost sight of the surrounding obstructions. The pilot had logged a total of 82 flight hours, of which 13 hours were in the accident airplane.

Contributing factors

  • cause Pilot
  • factor Ability to respond/compensate
  • factor Capability exceeded
  • factor Pilot

Conditions

Weather
VMC, wind 210/12kt, vis 5sm

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