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GAA16CA127

2016-02-12 · Santa Paula, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SZP

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The tailwheel pilot's failure to see and avoid a stationary airplane performing a run-up, which resulted in a ground collision.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, "Due to the restricted visibility from the rear cockpit," he "failed to the see the C-150 that stopped on the taxiway." Subsequently, the propeller of the tailwheel airplane impacted the vertical stabilizer of a stationary Cessna airplane. The student pilot of the Cessna airplane reported that he was preparing for the engine run-up and never saw the tailwheel airplane until after the collision. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer of the Cessna airplane. The pilot of the tailwheel airplane and the student pilot of the Cessna airplane reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with their respective airplanes that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, "Due to the restricted visibility from the rear cockpit," he "failed to the see the C-150 that stopped on the taxiway." Subsequently, the propeller of the tailwheel airplane impacted the vertical stabilizer of a stationary Cessna airplane. The student pilot of the Cessna airplane reported that he was preparing for the engine run-up and never saw the tailwheel airplane until after the collision.  A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer of the Cessna airplane. The pilot of the tailwheel airplane and the student pilot of the Cessna airplane reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with their respective airplanes that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other aircraft-Pilot of other aircraft - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot of other aircraft - C
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other aircraft-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Brake-Not used/operated - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2016_GAA16CA127.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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