Dramatic video/ airplane into car

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dstclair
Posts: 1092
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:23 am
Location: Allen, TX

Re: Dramatic video/ airplane into car

Post by dstclair »

dstclair wrote:I know that airport quite well and there were (at least) two judgement errors in play.

1) There are warning signs that a driver cannot miss stating that they must yield right-of-way to aircraft. Given the flight path, it would've been very difficult to not see the 172. The driver and his wife also frequented the airport cafe to watch the planes take-off and land so should/were familiar with the rules. Mostly likely, he forgot to check the flight path.

2) The pilot was WAY too low to naturally touch down at the 400' displaced threshold. He hit an SUV at about 5' AGL 40' from the end of the runway or 440' to the earliest touch-down point. I'd bet the FAA will cite pilot error on the approach.
I was close :). From the NTSB report:
The displaced threshold for the landing runway was located about 140 feet from the approach end of the runway. The roadway that crossed the extended runway centerline was located about 25 feet from the approach end of the runway pavement, about 165 feet from the displaced threshold. Data indicated that the runway threshold was previously displaced 400 feet.
.......
Although the privately-owned airport was not required to maintain airport design standards established by the Federal Aviation Administration, the proximity of the roadway and the reduced runway threshold displacement did not provide any safety margin for approaching aircraft
......
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The student pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles on the runway approach path. Contributing to the accident was the airport management's decision to relocate the runway displaced threshold, which did not provide an adequate safety margin for approaching aircraft, and the automobile driver's inadequate lookout for approaching aircraft before crossing the runway's approach path.
Looks like the NTSB opened up the door for damage liability for the airport as well.

BTW -- I believe the student pilot subsequently got his PP.
dave
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