Burlington International Airpo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Burlington, Vermont 05403
Wednesday, June 19, 2013 15:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, after contacting ground control and receiving a taxi clearance, he taxied to the end of the exit ramp and then began to taxi the airplane to the departure runway by attempting to follow the airport signs. He turned right and subsequently realized that the airplane was on an airport access road instead of a taxiway. The airplane struck a fence to the right of the access road, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. Photographs provided by the airport showed no "No Entry Signs" in the vicinity of the airport access road. Although the airport operated under a Part 139 certificate, it did not have signage along the access road indicating that entry was prohibited for aircraft recommended in federal guidance for Part 139 airports. The lack of proper signage resulted in the pilot taxiing the airplane down the access road instead of a taxiway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper turn down an airport access road while attempting to taxi to a runway. Contributing to the accident was the airport management's failure to install proper signage indicating that an airport access road was prohibited to aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/2013
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Burlington
Event State VERMONT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 05403
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 442819N
Event Location Longitude 0730911W
Event Location Airport Burlington International Airpo
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BTV
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 335
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1554 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BTV
Elevation of weather observation facility 335
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KBTV 191954Z 32011KT 10SM FEW070 21/03 A3011
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) 32098
NTSB Notification Source ANE DAB
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2013 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61947
NTSB Number ERA13LA311
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17264906
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6640
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Altitude Addiction LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Rochester
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Altitude Addiction LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Rochester
Operator State NH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BTV
Departure City Burlington
Departure State VT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DAW
Destination City Rochester
Destination State NH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2013 9:35AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --