Lockheed P-38L N9005R

Summary

On 4 May 1997 at about 14:15 local time, a Lockheed P-38L registered N9005R, operated by Lone Star Flight Museum, was involved in an accident near Galveston, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 May 1997 at 14:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Galveston, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Scholes Field (GLS)

Coordinates

29.2995, -94.7907

Aircraft

Lockheed P-38L

Registration

N9005R

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Lone Star Flight Museum

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA176

Injuries not recorded.

failure of the pilot to maintain aircraft clearance from the ground vehicle.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After maintenance was performed on the Lockheed P-38L, it was to be test flown prior to an air show. The aircraft was towed to the ramp, and a ground operations person parked a cart to the left and rear of the left wing tip before the pilot arrived. The pilot did not note the cart during a 'walk around of the aircraft.' The ground operations person, who stood to the left of the aircraft while the pilot started the engines, noticed the aircraft's crew ladder was down, and proceeded to the rear of the aircraft and secured it. Another person, a ground marshal directed the pilot to move the aircraft from east to west. The airplane had not quite completed a 180 degree turn when the left propeller struck the parked cart. The pilot reported that he saw the parked cart just as the left propeller hit the cart.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.