Douglas DC-8-62 N803AX

Summary

On 20 March 1996 at about 21:25 local time, a Douglas DC-8-62 registered N803AX was involved in an accident near Wilmington, Ohio, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 March 1996 at 21:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Wilmington, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Airborne Airpark (ILN)

Coordinates

39.4392, -83.8297

Aircraft

Douglas DC-8-62

Registration

N803AX

Category

Airplane

Engines

4

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Ontario

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD96LA052

Nobody was injured.

The pilot-in-command's inadequate visual lookout and the company/operator's inadequate crew/group coordination and communication during taxi and snow removal operations. Related factors were the snowy weather conditions affecting visibility and the snowplow on the taxiway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Company personnel dispatched the aircraft while they simultaneously monitored the company snow removal crews on the taxiways and runways. Two supervisors, in separate vehicles with VHF/FM radios, were overseeing the snow removal operation. The pilot-in-command stated that his attention was on the snowbanks on the right side of the taxiway, when he suddenly noticed the snowplow at the left side of the airplane. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it struck the snowplow. The snowplow driver stated that he did not hear nor see the airplane taxiing, and the snow removal supervisors did not alert him to the airplane's movements. He believed that the airplanes were using a different runway, and that he was authorized to conduct snow removal operations on the taxiway. Postaccident examination revealed that the aircraft was on the taxiway centerline, and the snowplow was located on the left side of the taxiway. The visibility at the time of the collision was one mile with light snow and fog.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.