Madera Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Madera, California 93639
Friday, January 29, 1999 16:01 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A Coelho RV4, N770RF, collided with a Cessna 150L, N6979G, while taxiing for takeoff. The Cessna 150L was stopped on the parallel taxiway waiting for departure behind two other airplanes. The Cessna's pilot reported that the run-up area was congested and she did not believe there was enough room to safely pull into the area. While waiting on the taxiway, the propeller of a RV4 struck the tail section of her aircraft. The pilot of N770RF (a conventional gear airplane) stated that he was performing 'S' turns on the parallel taxiway while taxiing out for departure and did not notice the Cessna stopped on the taxiway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot of the other airplane's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout and to see the airplane stopped on the taxiway ahead.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/29/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1601
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City MADERA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93639
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MADERA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MAE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 253
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1756 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 253
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1230
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 4 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 815
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2001 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N6979G N770RF
NTSB Number LAX99LA086A LAX99LA086B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna COELHO
Aircraft Model 150L RV4
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L RV4
Aircraft Serial Number 15072479 773889
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600 2100
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No Yes
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1998 12:00AM Sep 19 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42 60
Airframe Hours 7158 60
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name MADERA COUNTY AIRCRAFTERS, INC JAMES J. COEHLO
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 112 7175 N. DOOLITTLE DR
Aircraft Owner City MADERA FRESNO
Aircraft Owner State CA CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93639 93722
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code MAE MAF
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:26PM Jan 10 2001 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30 30
Runway Length 4544 4544
Runway Width 150 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --