Piper PA-18A-150 N3985P

Summary

On 17 September 1997 at about 14:30 local time, a Piper PA-18A-150 registered N3985P was involved in an accident near Bainbridge, Georgia, 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

17 September 1997 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bainbridge, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Bainbridge/Decatur County (BGE)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-18A-150

Registration

N3985P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA97LA247

Nobody was injured.

the failure of the pilot to see and avoid the tractor resulting in an on ground collision. A factor in this accident was the limited forward visibility from the cockpit of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The tractor had been sweeping the tarmac most of the morning, and was equipped with an amber strobe light attached to the roll bar and flashing hazard lights on it's fender. All of the lights were found to be in working order when a police officer checked them. The airplane had landed and was taxiing east on the tarmac. The tractor was traveling west tarmac when the accident occurred. The driver of the tractor told the police, '...he was sweeping the tarmac and observed the aircraft exit the taxiway and start towards him...the aircraft made an 'S' turn and came straight at him and the tractor...he was in fear of being hit by the aircraft and tried to get out of the way before the aircraft reached him, but he hit the aircraft trying to get out of the way.' The pilot showed the police officer that he had 'very limited visibility' from the cockpit when he was on the ground. The pilot explained to the police officer that, '...after he left the taxiway and got onto the tarmac he made a left turn so he could look to his right and the a right turn so he could look to his left. He said the tarmac appeared to be clear of any traffic so he straightened the aircraft and continued to travel east...moving very slow while on the tarmac. After straightening the aircraft...[he] said he heard and felt the crash of the tractor and aircraft...he never saw the tractor or the sweeper.' The passenger said, '...he did not see the tractor. His visibility was also limited to the sides of the aircraft.' The pilot did not return the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, and his account of the accident are not known.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.