Cirrus SR22 N5205X

Summary

On 5 October 2007 at about 18:45 local time, a Cirrus SR22 registered N5205X was involved in an accident near Hartford, Connecticut, United States. 2 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

5 October 2007 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Hartford, Connecticut, United States

Nearest airport

Hartford-Brainard (HFD)

Coordinates

41.7430, -72.6512

Aircraft

Cirrus SR22

Registration

N5205X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Readington → Hartford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08LA004

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a parked airplane while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the proximity of the parked airplanes to the taxiway and the failure of the marshaller to provide adequate guidance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck four parked airplanes while taxiing for parking after landing. According to the pilot, he initially received taxi instructions from the air traffic control tower, and then was guided by marshallers who used hand signals to convey further instructions. A nearby aviation convention resulted in additional aircraft at the airport, and airplanes were parked on the grass along the right side of the taxiway. The marshaller stated that he instructed the pilot to slow down, but that the airplane "continued approximately 300 feet," until it collided with a parked airplane. The passenger stated that at the time of the initial collision, the airplane was traveling at a speed of approximately 10 to 12 knots, and that just prior to the initial collision, he informed the pilot that he was "too far to the right." The right wing tip of the accident airplane struck the propeller and spinner of an unoccupied SR22 that was parked facing the taxiway. The impact caused the pilot's hand to advance the throttle, then the accident airplane turned rapidly to the right and struck three additional parked airplanes. Subsequent to the accident, the pilot stated that being on the taxiway centerline gave him a false sense of security, that his "gaze and attention shifted" to the marshaller, and that he failed to recognize that he would not clear the parked airplanes unless he deviated significantly from the centerline. The pilot did not report any brake or steering system malfunctions and there was no indication that the marshaller signaled the pilot to deviate from the centerline to avoid the collision. On-site measurements confirmed that maintaining the taxiway centerline would result in minimal or no clearance with the parked airplanes.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.