Mooney M20K N5765D

Summary

On 12 June 2011 at about 03:30 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N5765D, operated by Pacific Medical Communication Inc DBA, was involved in an accident near Page, Arizona, 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

12 June 2011 at 03:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Page, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Page Municipal Airport (KPGA)

Coordinates

36.9261, -111.4483

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N5765D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Pacific Medical Communication Inc DBA

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Page → Page

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

WPR11CA257

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of the wrong taxi route and failure to follow prescribed taxi procedures.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was taxiing from the transient parking towards the runway for takeoff. It was dusk at the time and he was proceeding at a walking pace (2-3 miles per hour) to the taxiway when he encountered a large ditch at the end of the tarmac. The airplane rolled into the ditch bending the propeller and the empennage. The pilot commented that there were no signs, reflectors, warnings, or other indications that the ditch was there. The airport manager reported that the taxi route from the transient area is clearly marked with in-ground reflectors which lead to a lit taxiway and then to the runway. According to the manager, it appeared the pilot proceeded directly to the taxiway from the transient parking area where he was parked. He crossed a set of double solid lines that demarcate the taxiway edge, and continued into a helicopter operating/parking area. From there he crossed a marked service road, past a helicopter landing pad, and past a lit windsock before impacting the drainage ditch. The airport manager further reported that since the area is clearly marked and only intended for helicopter traffic there is no extra signage warning of the ditch.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.