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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

July 25, 2018 · Piper PA46 350P · C-GRFF

West Columbia, SC

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 25, 2018
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
West Columbia, SC
Aircraft
Piper PA46 350P (2014)
Tail Number
C-GRFF
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ERA18LA213

The private pilot was taxiing the airplane and receiving progressive taxi instructions from an air traffic controller. The pilot indicated that he asked if he should turn onto the taxiway and was instructed to do so. However, instead of proceeding on the taxiway, which had a continuous painted yellow centerline, the pilot turned left onto a vehicle service road, which had a painted white "stop" marking and an adjacent stop sign. The underside of the airplane's left wing subsequently struck the stop sign, which resulted in substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s inadvertent navigation onto a service road instead of a taxiway, which resulted in a collision with a stop sign.

Full Narrative

On July 25, 2018, at 1341 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-46 350P, C-GRFF, was substantially damaged during collision with a stop sign while taxiing onto a service road at Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) West Columbia, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the pilot, the CAE ground controller was providing progressive taxi instructions and asked the controller if he should "turn left here at the D6" taxiway and was told "to do so." After turning, the underside of the airplane's left wing struck a "low" stop sign. Examination of an aerial images and photos of the area where the airplane struck the stop sign revealed that the airplane was taxiing from an aircraft parking ramp area toward a perpendicular taxiway (Delta). A vehicle service road ran parallel to taxiway Delta, and both were intersected by taxiway Delta 6 (see Figure 1). A centerline was panted on the ramp area that transitioned through taxiway Delta 6 and onto taxiway Delta. There was no taxiway centerline painted on the service road. The stop sign was located in a grassy area adjacent to the service road. Figure 1 – Annotated aerial photograph of the area where the airplane was taxiing. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and instrument airplane. His third-class medical certificate was issued September 19, 2016, and he reported 985 total hours of flight experience, 200 hours of which was in the accident airplane make and model. At 1356, the weather recorded at CAE included scattered cloud layers at 3,900 feet and 5,000 feet, a broken ceiling at 25,000 feet and winds from 260 degrees at 7 knots. The temperature was 31°C, and the dew point was 22°C. The altimeter setting was 29.89 inches of mercury. Examination of photographs revealed that the left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have prevented normal operation.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:41 EDT
Nearest AirportColumbia Metropolitan (0nm NE)
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA46 350P
Tail NumberC-GRFF
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · TIO-540-AE2A · Reciprocating · 350
Seats4 + 2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 60 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind260° @ 7 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 25000 ft
Altimeter29.88 inHg
Observation Time17:56
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data