Ryan ST3KR N46503

Summary

On 22 April 2001 at about 18:30 local time, a Ryan ST3KR registered N46503 was involved in an accident near Murrieta, California, 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

22 April 2001 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Murrieta, California, United States

Nearest airport

French Valley (F70)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Ryan ST3KR

Registration

N46503

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Murrietta → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX01LA159

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate visual lookout during taxi to avoid striking a post. A factor in the accident was the inadequate marking of the obstruction by airport personnel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, as he taxiied the low-wing, tailwheel equipped aircraft into the run-up area, the underside of the left wing struck a 4-foot-tall pole protecting a fire hydrant. The pilot was seated in the rear cockpit of the tandem-seating aircraft. He reported that the presence of another aircraft entering the run-up area at the same time made it necessary to alter his taxi route and, after he turned sharply, the low post was too close to be visible from the rear cockpit. The pilot also noted that the hydrant was one of two positioned within the operational area of run-up pad and there were no hazard markings painted on the asphalt around the hydrants.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.