MIAMI, FL, USA
N41306
PIPER PA28-151
PILOT BECAME LOST AND STOPPED ON TAXIWAY TO AWAIT ASSISTANCE. GROUND CONTROL SENT RAMP AGENT TO FIND AND DIRECT FLIGHT. AS RAMP VEHICLE TRAVELED EAST ON TAXIWAY IN REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO RAIN AND DARKNESS, IT COLLIDED WITH THE LEFT REAR AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE RAMP VEHICLE AND AIRCRAFT TRAVELED 350 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PILOT THEN MOVED THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD ANOTHER 340 FEET TO AVOID A FIRE. THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE RAMP IS 20 MPH. THE RAMP AGENT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS ON THE AIRPORT AND HAD MANY CITATIONS FOR DRIVING ON PUBLIC ROADS. THE RAMP AGENT HAD BEEN COUNSELED AFTER AN ACCIDENT IN JANUARY 1991 TO SLOW DOWN WHEN DRIVING AND NOT TO OVER DRIVE HER HEAD LIGHTS. THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY ONLY MONITORED EMPLOYEE DRIVER RECORDS FOR A SUSPENDED OR REVOKED LICENSE. IT DID NOT MONITOR FOR ACCIDENTS AND VIOLATIONS.
THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPORT AGENT TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING IN REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO RAIN RESULTING IN THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE AGENT'S TRUCK AND THE AIRCRAFT SHE WAS SEARCHING FOR WHICH HAD STOPPED ON THE TAXIWAY TO AWAIT ASSISTANCE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY TO CONTINUALLY MONITOR FOR ACCIDENTS AND VIOLATIONS THE DRIVING RECORDS OF EMPLOYEES WHO DRIVE ON THE AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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