Dfw International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dfw Airport, Texas 75261
Monday, December 29, 1997 21:52 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Two Beech E18S airplanes (from same operator) took off 10 minutes apart from the same location on a night cargo flight. They arrived 4 minutes apart & landed on runway 36L. After the 1st plane (N2069C) landed, tower cleared the pilot to 'taxi to the ramp.' Approaching the UPS ramp, the pilot of the 1st plane continued monitoring the tower, but contacted the ramp controller (UPS), using a 2nd radio. He was told by UPS 'to hold short of the ramp.' Meanwhile, the 2nd plane (N4980V) was cleared (by tower) 'to taxi to the ramp.' Subsequently, the 2nd plane collided with the 1st plane, which had stopped on the taxiway short of the cargo ramp. The 1st plane was facing nearly perpendicular to the taxiing airplane. Both planes were equipped with rotating beacons on the lower portion of the fuselage & navigation lights on the wing tips & tail; althought for aircraft approaching from either side, illumination from the tail navigation light on this make/model of plane was blocked by the vertical stabilizers & rudders. UPS holding instructions (to the 1st pilot) did not specify where to hold. The collision occurred in an area that was not visible to the tower. All taxiways were equipped with centerline lighting. The taxiway's centerline lighting & blue edge lights were operational.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot in the 2nd airplane (N4980V) to see-and-avoid the standing airplane (N2069C). Related factors were: darkness, and inadequate (vague) instructions issued by the UPS ramp controller.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2152
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City DFW AIRPORT
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75261
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DFW INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DFW
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 603
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 603
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1370
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 455
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 N4980V N2069C
NTSB Number FTW98LA080A FTW98LA080B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Minor Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech Beech
Aircraft Model E18S E18S
Aircraft Series Identifier E18S E18S
Aircraft Serial Number BA-156 BA-430
Certified Max Gross Weight 9700 9700
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 17 1997 12:00AM Oct 17 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40 88
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name SPRINGDALE AIR SERVICE RICK CLARK
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 811 P.O. BOX 811
Aircraft Owner City SPRINGDALE SPRINGDALE
Aircraft Owner State AR AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72765 72765
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 HBCA HBCA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code SPG SPG
Departure City SPRINGDALE SPRINGDALE
Departure State AR AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000 2010
Departure Time Zone CST CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DFW DFW
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi Standing
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36L 36L
Runway Length 11388 11388
Runway Width 150 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --