What happened
During a cargo operation originating from St. Louis, an unidentified aircraft completed a standard landing and braking sequence at Flint-Bishop Airport. After the arrival, the pilot exited the active runway and began taxiing toward the apron. During this ground movement, the aircraft struck a parked Piper PA-22-140, registration N54393.
The impact triggered a fire following the collision, which led to the total destruction of both involved aircraft. The pilot of the cargo flight sustained no injuries during the incident.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident was caused by the pilot's failure to see and avoid the stationary aircraft on the taxiway. Several environmental and operational factors contributed to the lack of visibility during the taxi phase:
- The presence of fog at the time of the event
- Obscured vision due to a dirty windshield
- Limited field of view for the pilot
- Taxiing without the aid of proper ground assistance