Skip to content

Atlas / NTSB / WPR13CA031

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event WPR13CA031

2012-11-03 Van Nuys, California, United States Airport · VNY None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper visual lookout during taxi, which resulted in an on-ground collision with another airplane.

Factual narrative

The pilot of a Beech airplane was located in the run up area conducting a pre-takeoff run-up check when the pilot of a Cessna airplane taxied in front of the Beech and stopped at the runway hold short line. The pilot in the Beech was subsequently cleared by air traffic control to move up to and hold short of the hold short line. The pilot of the Beech applied power and taxied forward approximately 10 feet when he initiated a slight left turn and the airplane’s propeller impacted the left horizontal stabilizer of the Cessna. The Cessna’s horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged and the Beech airplane received minor damage. The pilot of the Beech reported that he never saw the Cessna prior to impact. Both pilots reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. . The pilot of a Beech airplane was located in the run-up area conducting a pre-takeoff run-up check when the pilot of a Cessna airplane taxied in front of the Beech and stopped at the runway hold short line. The pilot in the Beech was subsequently cleared by air traffic control to move up to and hold short of the hold short line. The pilot of the Beech applied power and taxied forward approximately 10 feet when he initiated a slight left turn and the airplane’s propeller impacted the left horizontal stabilizer of the Cessna. The Cessna’s horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged and the Beech airplane received minor damage. The pilot of the Beech reported that he never saw the Cessna prior to impact. Both pilots reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other aircraft-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other aircraft-Pilot of other aircraft - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_WPR13CA031.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.