SEATTLE, WA, USA
N920DY
Rockwell NA-265-65
N93SH
Piper PA-31T1
After N920DY, a Sabreliner, landed and cleared the runway, ground control cleared the aircraft to taxi to the Galvin ramp. Approximately three minutes later, N93SH, a Piper Cheyenne, landed and made initial contact with ground control to also taxi to the Galvin ramp. Prior to the Cheyenne's contact with ground control, N795HB, an Astra, contacted ground control to advise that they were ready to taxi out of the Galvin ramp. Ground control cleared the Astra to taxi up to, but to hold short of the taxiway for the Sabreliner that was inbound. When the Sabreliner arrived at the ramp area, the pilot transmitted without identifying their call number or location for the Astra to move out and that they would give way. The Astra pilot then transmitted without identifying their call number or location, to ground control, that the Sabreliner wanted them to move out. Ground control then cleared the Astra to taxi to the runway and that the Sabreliner would hold. By this time, the Cheyenne was in contact with ground control. While the Cheyenne was taxiing to the Galvin ramp, ground control instructed the pilot to follow a Sabreliner that was ahead on the taxiway going up the ramp. The pilot of the Cheyenne responded that he had the aircraft in sight. The pilot of the Cheyenne reported that as he approached the Galvin ramp, he glanced over to the right, looking for a parking slot. When he resumed forward view down the taxiway, the landing light illuminated the tail end of an aircraft approximately six feet in front of him. The pilot applied the brakes, however the aircraft did not stop in time before colliding with the tail of the Sabreliner that was still holding on the taxiway. Later, the Cheyenne pilot reported that he mistook the Astra for the Sabreliner, and that it was the Astra that he saw moving on the taxiway. The pilot also reported that he never saw the Sabreliner on the taxiway, and that ground control did not warn him that it was holding on the taxiway and not moving. At the time, it was dark night conditions with light rain falling.
On November 29, 1999, at 1920 Pacific standard time, a Piper Cheyenne PA-31T1, N93SH, registered to Scope Leasing Inc. and operated by Warden Produce as a 14 CFR Part 91 business flight, collided with a Rockwell NA-265-65 Sabreliner, N920DY, registered to and operated by Dixie Group Inc. as a 14 CFR Part 91 business flight on the taxiway at King County International Airport, Seattle, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and instrument flight rules flight plans were filed for both aircraft. The Cheyenne received minor damage, while the Sabreliner was substantially damaged. The airline transport pilot and his three passengers in the Cheyenne were not injured. The two airline transport pilots and their two passengers in the Sabreliner were not injured. The Cheyenne had departed from Portland, Oregon, about 45 minutes prior to the accident. The Sabreliner had departed from Chattanooga, Tennessee, about five hours and 50 minutes prior to the accident. At 1911, the pilot of the Sabreliner contacted the Boeing control tower and reported that they were eight miles out. At 1913, the controller cleared the flight to land on runway 13R. At 1914, the pilot of the Cheyenne contacted the Boeing control tower and reported that he was inbound at Nolla (8.1 DME). The controller then cleared the Cheyenne to land on runway 13R. By 1915, the Sabreliner had landed and the tower controller instructed the pilot to turn left at A9, without delay, and the ground control frequency was given. By 1917:58, the Cheyenne landed, and the tower controller instructed the pilot to turn left at A4, then cross runway 13L before contacting ground control. At 1915:52, the Sabreliner contacted Boeing ground control to report off the runway with intentions to taxi to Galvin. The ground controller cleared the Sabreliner to taxi to the Galvin ramp. At 1917, prior to the Cheyenne's contact with ground control, an Astra, N795HB, contacted ground control, to report that he was ready to taxi out of the Galvin ramp for runway 13R. The controller instructed the pilot to taxi up to, but hold short of the alpha taxiway for an inbound Sabreliner from the south. The ground controller then contacted the Sabreliner to advise them that an Astra was coming out of the Galvin ramp ahead of and to their right that was holding for them. At 1918:12, the Sabreliner transmitted that they would keep an "eye out" for the Astra. At 1918:23, the Cheyenne made initial contact with Boeing ground control to report that he was at A4 with intentions to taxi to Galvin. The controller then cleared the pilot to taxi to Galvin. At 1918:36, without identifying their call number or location, the Sabreliner transmitted, "Astra come on out we'll give way." And without identifying their call number or location, the Astra transmitted, "...he wants us to move out ground." Ground control then cleared the Astra to continue to taxi and advised that the Sabreliner would hold. The Astra then continued to taxi to runway 13R. The controller then contacted the Cheyenne and instructed the pilot to, "... follow a Sabreliner that's ahead on the taxiway going up the alpha ramp." The pilot of the Cheyenne responded, "okay we got him." At 1919:49, the pilot of the Sabreliner notified ground control that something collided with the back-end of their aircraft. In a written statement, the pilot of the Sabreliner reported that before the Astra had cleared the ramp enough to allow for them to enter the ramp, the Cheyenne collided with the rear of the aircraft. The pilot also reported that the anti-collision/beacon lights were on at the time of the collision. The pilot of the Cheyenne reported that as he approached the Galvin ramp, he saw an aircraft departing the ramp and turning right or northbound. The pilot reported that he could not identify the make of the aircraft due to the distance, darkness and the rain. It was this aircraft that the pilot notified ground control that he had in sight. The pilot continued northbound to the Galvin ramp and glanced to the right to see in which line there might be a parking slot. When he resumed forward view down the taxiway, the landing light illuminated the tail end of an aircraft approximately six feet directly in front of him. The pilot reported that he immediately locked the brakes and pulled the propellers and fuel to the feathered and off position. The aircraft did not stop in time and collided with the tail of the Sabreliner that was standing on the centerline of the taxiway waiting to turn into the Galvin ramp. The pilot reported that later he found out that he mistook the aircraft that he saw taxiing out of the Galvin ramp (Astra N795HB) for the Sabreliner. The pilot also reported that he never saw the Sabreliner on the taxiway and that ground control did not warn him that the Sabreliner was holding on the taxiway and not moving. The nose of the Cheyenne traveled under the empennage of the Sabreliner. The right and left side propeller blades of the Cheyenne contacted the left and right sides, respectively, of the Sabreliners' horizontal stabilizer and elevators.
Inadequate visual lookout and clearance was not maintained by the pilot of another aircraft. Diverted attention by the pilot of another aircraft, dark night conditions and rain were factors.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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