NTSB CAROL · Event
Event SEA96LA064
Registry · N9669B
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
RIMES HAROLD A CAPELLA XS
Year of manufacture
2007
Engine
ROTAX 582SER (65 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20070524
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AD7605
Registrant of record
MCGEE CHARLES J
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
the failure of the pilot to identify the unsuitable taxi area, and the failure of airport maintenance personnel to properly identify a construction area.
Factual narrative
On February 27, 1996, at 0830 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 180A, N9669B, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR 91 personal flight, collided with an open manhole while taxiing to the fuel island at the Hillsboro Airport, Hillsboro, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Independence, Oregon, about one half hour before the accident. The pilot reported that after landing he was taxiing to the fuel island when the left main landing gear rolled into an open manhole near the fuel island. The left wing contacted the surface, substantially damaging the wing and aileron. Earlier in the morning, a work crew had removed the manhole cover, but did not place the orange warning cones around the area. The pilot reported that after landing he taxied toward the fuel island. Just prior to the island, the left main landing gear rolled into an open manhole and the left wing contacted the surface. Maintenance personnel had removed the manhole cover earlier in the morning and failed to set up warning cones around the area. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1996_SEA96LA064.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (maintenance). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA)
From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences)
Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
Low-Resource Automatic Speech Recognition Domain Adaptation – A Case-Study in Aviation Maintenance
With timeliness and efficiency being critical in the aviation maintenance industry, the need has been growing for smart technological solutions that optimize and streamline the different underlying ta…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (JAAER)
A New Trajectory in UAV Safety: Leveraging Reinforcement Learning for Distance Maintenance Under Wind Variations
In the field of aviation, safety is a critical cornerstone, and the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems is deeply connected with this principle.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Just Culture in Aviation: A Metaphorical Study on Aircraft Maintenance Students
Just Culture, a sub-dimension of safety culture, has been a prominent and debated topic in aviation safety in recent years.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Performance PRISM: A Comprehensive Framework For Performance Measurement In Aircraft Maintenance
Aircraft maintenance is governed by rigorous safety requirements and high operational complexity, demanding robust performance measurement frameworks to ensure optimal maintenance practices.
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