Event NYC82FGT14

Factual narrative

AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 31, THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO AN AREA WHERE HE PERFORMED INVERTED FLIGHT IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND A DIME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DROPPED IN THE COCKPIT. DURING HIS DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL, HE AND A TOWER CONTROLLER DISCUSSED AND JOKED ABOUT LOOKING FOR THE LOST DIME. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 26. WHILE ROLLING OUT, THE TOWER CONTROLLER KIDDED THE PILOT BY SAYING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING SILVER SKIPPING IN FRONT OF THE PLANE, THEN COMMENTED ABOUT GOOD VISION. THE PILOT RESPONDED, AND LATER, HE REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT HEAR THE TOWER CAUTION HIM OF EQUIPMENT ON THE TAXIWAY. THE EQUIPMENT WAS ON THE EDGE OF THE TAXIWAY BETWEEN RUNWAYS 26 AND 31. WHILE TAXIING, THE PILOT'S FORWARD VISION WAS OBSTRUCTED BY THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE WHICH REQUIRED S-TURNS FOR CLEARING. GROUND CONTROL CLEARED THE PILOT TO CROSS RUNWAY 31, BUT INSTRUCTED HIM NOT TO DELAY SINCE THERE WAS TRAFFIC. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAXI WITHOUT S-TURNS AND THE PLANES RIGHT WING HIT THE EQUIPMENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12