Tyler Pounds Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tyler, Texas 75701
Wednesday, March 11, 1998 19:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

At night, while taxiing to parking after landing, an unmanned runaway golf cart being used as a lead-in vehicle, collided with the airplane. Witnesses observed the golf cart's driver get out of the cart and the cart continue moving. The driver attempted to stop the cart; however, she was unsuccessful. The cart circled an aircraft 2 or 3 times then veered off and ricocheted off a fence. The pilots reported that they were approximately 50 feet from their intended stopping point, when they observed a golf cart that appeared to be paralleling the fence. At that time they did not perceive it as a hazard. The golf cart then made an 'immediate' change of direction and headed towards their aircraft. After the cart made the change of direction, the pilots observed that the cart was unmanned. They immediately initiated emergency shutdown procedures; however, the cart collided with the left engine's propeller before it could be shutdown.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the golf cart's driver to shutdown the engine and set the parking brake before exiting, which resulted in an unmanned runaway cart.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/11/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1940
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City TYLER
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75701
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TYLER POUNDS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TYR
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 544
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TYR
Elevation of weather observation facility 544
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 529
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N730C
NTSB Number FTW98LA149
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Fairchild
Aircraft Model SA227-AC
Aircraft Series Identifier SA227-AC
Aircraft Serial Number AC-697
Certified Max Gross Weight 14500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 5 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 14609
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STERLING CREDIT CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ONE TOWER SQUARE, 17TH FLOOR
Aircraft Owner City SOUTHFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48076
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AUSTIN EXPRESS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1901 E. 51ST STREET, SUIT 210
Operator City AUSTIN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78723
Operator Code X3RA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AUS
Departure City AUSTIN
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TYR
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --