SAGINAW, TX, USA
N6868N
Mooney M-20G
It was a dark night, and the airplane, with its landing, belly strobe, and navigation lights on, was taxiing north on the taxiway for takeoff on runway 14. A pickup truck traveling south on the taxiway struck the left wing tip of the airplane. The driver of the pickup stated that she saw one headlight and assumed the oncoming traffic was a motorcycle. She further stated that she identified the traffic as an airplane immediately prior to the collision and applied the brakes, but was unable to avoid hitting the airplane.
On December 10, 1996, at 2025 central standard time, a Mooney M-20G, N6868N, was substantially damaged when it collided with a moving vehicle while taxiing at Hicks Airfield near Saginaw, Texas. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured, and one of the three occupants of the vehicle received minor injuries. The airplane, registered to and operated by a private owner, was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the personal flight which was originating at the time of the accident. According to the pilot and the Tarrant County Sheriff's Department (TCSD) accident report, the airplane was taxiing north on the parallel taxiway for takeoff on runway 14. The airplane's landing, belly strobe, and navigation lights were on. A pickup truck traveling south on the taxiway struck the left wing tip of the airplane, and the airplane "spun around" and came to rest heading south. The driver of the pickup told the TCSD investigator that she saw one headlight and assumed the oncoming traffic was a motorcycle. She further stated to the investigator that she identified the traffic as an airplane immediately prior to the collision and applied the brakes, but was unable to avoid hitting the airplane. According to an FAA inspector who examined the airplane, the left wing spar was bent, the wing attach points were damaged, and the fuselage was wrinkled. The pickup truck's hood and windshield were damaged.
The driver of the vehicle's failure to maintain clearance from the taxiing airplane. A factor was the dark night light condition which resulted in the driver's delayed visual identification of the airplane.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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