Event SEA00LA180

Factual narrative

On September 16, 2000, at 1033 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N7195Q, registered to and being operated by a commercial pilot, sustained minor damage when it collided with a Cessna 182P, N52746, while rolling forward in a lineup of aircraft on taxiway A-4 at the Snohomish County airport (PAE), Everett, Washington. The pilot was uninjured, as was the pilot of the impacted 182P. The 182P sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed for either aircraft. Both aircraft were departing as personal flights, and were operating under 14CFR91, and both were destined for Eastsound, Washington. Both pilots were telephonically interviewed. The pilot of the 172L reported that while taxing forward in a line of aircraft, he stopped his aircraft about 10-15 feet behind the 182P directly ahead. He then awaited further movement of the other aircraft ahead in the lineup for takeoff, and focused his attention on setting up radio frequencies in anticipation of transiting the Whidbey Island, Washington, area following his departure from PAE. When he looked up, he noted that his aircraft was rolling forward. He reported applying brakes and right rudder, which swung the nose of his aircraft to the right, but not before the propeller contacted the 182P's right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. He reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with his aircraft at the time of the event. The pilot of the 182P reported that he was stopped in a lineup of aircraft awaiting takeoff on runway 16R when he felt a vibration. He looked back and observed the aircraft behind him stopped with its propeller into the right elevator of his aircraft. An audio re-recording of radio communications between the Snohomish County air traffic control tower and the related aircraft was reviewed. As the tower controller received acknowledgement from another aircraft to position and hold, the radio transmission was blocked by another transmission reporting, "Ah, I just clipped the plane in front of me. My brakes slipped and I just crashed into his elevator." A Cessna 182P and a Cessna 172L were within a lineup of aircraft anticipating takeoff. The 182P was about 10-15 feet ahead of the 172L, and both aircraft were stopped on the taxiway. The pilot of the 172L focused his attention on setting up radio frequencies for his departure route, and when he looked up realized his aircraft was rolling forward. He applied braking and right rudder to swing the nose of his aircraft to the right during which the propeller of his aircraft struck the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator of the 182P. The pilot of the 182P felt a vibration, looked back, and observed the 172L behind him stopped with its propeller into the right elevator of his aircraft. The pilot of the 172L radioed the tower reporting, 'Ah, I just clipped the plane in front of me. My brakes slipped and I just crashed into his elevator.' He also reported no mechanical malfunction with his aircraft. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12