Louisa County/Freeman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Louisa, Virginia 23093
Saturday, September 5, 2009 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Cessna was taxiing to the runway for takeoff when she impacted a Lancair that was holding short of the runway. The Cessna pilot had seen the Lancair in front of her, but briefly lost sight of it prior to the collision. Following the collision, both pilots shut down their airplanes and exited without incident. They observed that the Cessna's propeller had struck the right horizontal stabilizer and empennage of the Lancair several times, resulting in substantial damage to the Lancair.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The Cessna pilot's inadequate visual lookout.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Louisa
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23093
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 380021N
Event Location Longitude 0775807W
Event Location Airport Louisa County/Freeman Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LKU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 493
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LKU
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26394
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2009 1:44PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N3656V N290W
NTSB Number ERA09LA506A ERA09LA506B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Minor Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA LANCAIR
Aircraft Model 140 235
Aircraft Series Identifier A --
Aircraft Serial Number 14927 115
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No Yes
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft -- --
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection -- --
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed Unknown Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name Sara L Parmenter Richard S Williams
Aircraft Owner Street Address -- --
Aircraft Owner City Cumberland Fredericksburg
Aircraft Owner State VA VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23040 22405
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name Sara L Parmenter Richard S Williams
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address -- --
Operator City Cumberland Fredericksburg
Operator State VA VA
Operator Country USA USA
Operator Zip code 23040 22405
Operator Code -- --
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
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 LKU LKU
Departure City Louisa Louisa
Departure State VA VA
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time -- --
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LKU LKU
Destination City Louisa Louisa
Destination State VA VA
Destination Country USA USA
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2009 1:44PM Dec 9 2009 1:44PM
User who most recently changed record kenj kenj
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A N/A
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --