Columbia LC41-550FG N1442E

Summary

On 17 November 2006 at about 21:00 local time, a Columbia LC41-550FG registered N1442E, operated by Lancair Holding, Inc., was involved in an accident near Somerville, New Jersey, United States. 4 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 November 2006 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Somerville, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Somerset (SMQ)

Coordinates

40.6261, -74.6703

Aircraft

Columbia LC41-550FG

Registration

N1442E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Lancair Holding, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Somerville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC07LA032

Nobody was injured.

The tug driver's inadequate lookout for landing traffic before crossing the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane flew a normal airport traffic pattern at the non-towered airport with the pilot announcing his intention to land over the radio. During the landing roll-out, the airplane struck another airplane that was being towed across the runway. The tug driver stated that as he approached the runway, he "did not see any aircraft," but as he was crossing the runway, he saw "a small plane landing out of nowhere." He tried to go forward and clear the runway quickly, but did not clear it in time. The landing airplane skidded into the towed airplane's tail. Federal Aviation Administration written guidance reiterates that when a ground vehicle nears a runway, the driver is to slow it down, look both ways, and look up for aircraft that are landing or taking off. If an aircraft is about to land on the runway, the driver shall stop and yield to it until it has landed and taxied clear of the runway. Guidance also notes that extra driver vigilance is a key at non-towered airports. "Aircraft do not have to communicate or announce their position in the pattern or on the surface...You can be lulled into complacency at non-towered airports because they usually aren't very busy, hence they don't justify a control tower."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.