VENICE, FL, USA
N346PB
PIPER PA-23-250
N78055
GLOBE GC-1B
A PIPER PA-23 PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 4 AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AND EXITED NORTHBOUND ONTO A TAXIWAY THAT LED TO THE RAMP. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A GLOBE GC-1B (SWIFT) WAS DEPARTING THE RAMP AND PROCEEDING SOUTHBOUND ON THE SAME TAXIWAY TOWARD THE RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH, THE TAXIWAY WAS ORIENTED GENERALLY NORTH-SOUTH, IT ANGLED TO THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST, WHERE IT CROSSED A CLOSED, EAST-WEST RUNWAY. THE PIPER PILOT SAID HE OBSERVED THE SWIFT TAXIING SOUTHBOUND ON THE TAXIWAY ABOUT 900 FEET NORTH OF THE CLOSED RUNWAY. THE TAXIWAY WAS TOO NARROW TO ACCOMODATE BOTH AIRPLANES. THE PIPER PILOT ASSUMED THE SWIFT PILOT WOULD YIELD AT THE CLOSED RUNWAY, SO HE (THE PIPER PILOT) CONTINUED NORTHBOUND (NORTH-NORTHEAST). THE SWIFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A TAILWHEEL. THE SWIFT PILOT SAID HE WAS USING S-TURNS (TO SEE FORWARD). THE SWIFT PILOT DID NOT YIELD AT THE CLOSED RUNWAY, BUT CONTINUED SOUTHBOUND (SOUTH-SOUTEAST). BY THE TIME THE PIPER PILOT REALIZED THAT THE SWIFT HAD NOT STOPPED, THE TWO AIRPLANES WERE CONVERGING. THE PIPER PILOT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING TO THE RIGHT; HOWEVER, THE LEFT WINGTIP OF EACH AIRPLANE COLLIDED. THE SWIFT PILOT SAID HE DID NOT SEE THE PIPER PA-23 UNTIL MOMENTS BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 450 FEET SOUTH OF THE CLOSED RUNWAY.
On April 2, 1995, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-250, N346PB, experienced an on-ground collision while taxiing at the Venice Municipal Airport, Venice, Florida, with a Globe GC-1B, N78055. The PA-23-250 is registered to John R. Clarey, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The GC-1B is registered to Perry J. Sisson, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for either airplane. The Piper airplane sustained minor damage and the Globe airplane sustained substantial damage. The Piper airline transport pilot and three passengers were not injured. The Globe private pilot and one passenger were not injured. The Piper airplane originated from Naples, Florida, about 1 hour 15 minutes before the accident. The Globe airplane was originating from Venice, Florida, at the time of the accident. The Piper pilot stated when he exited runway 4, he observed the swift about 900 feet north of the closed, east-west runway taxiing southbound. The Piper pilot taxied northbound assuming the swift would yield at the closed runway. The Piper pilot indicated the two airplanes collided about 200 feet south of the closed runway. The Globe pilot stated he was "s" turning while taxiing to runway 4 in preparation for takeoff. He said he saw no traffic down the section of taxiway south of the closed runway, so he continued taxiing. He then heard the engine of another airplane approaching, turned to his right, and saw the Piper airplane making a hard right turn off the taxiway. He indicated the accident occurred 2/3 the way down the runway south of the closed runway. He also indicated he heard no radio transmissions on unicom from any aircraft taxiing on the airport surface before the time of the accident. Examination of the crash site by FAA personnel revealed the two airplanes collided about 450 feet south of the closed runway. The distance travelled by the Aztec was about 337 feet and the distance travelled by the swift was about 1512 feet. The FAA interviewed the two pilots, and the swift pilot explained he did not see the Aztec until he heard the engine sounds. The Aztec pilot said when the swift got too close to him, he tried to avoid the swift to the right; however, the left wing tip of the Piper airplane collided with the left wing tip of the swift airplane.
FAILURE OF THE GLOBE GC-1B (SWIFT) PILOT TO SEE THE PIPER PA-23 IN TIME TO AVOID A COLLISION, AND THE PIPER PA-23 PILOT'S DELAY IN INITIATING REMEDIAL ACTION TO AVOID THE COLLISION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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