The flight instructor reported that, while the student pilot was landing, a car did not stop at the hold short line and drove onto the runway at the airport in Simsbury, Connecticut.
The car hit the Piper PA-28’s left wing. The airplane nosed over and came to rest on the runway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage and empennage.
The driver of the vehicle reported that he stopped at the entrance of the runway and checked left and right to make sure it was clear. While crossing the runway he heard glass shatter and a heavy impact. At no time did he see the airplane, until after the collision.
The flight instructor reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The automobile driver’s incursion onto an active runway, which resulted in a collision with a landing airplane.
This November 2019 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
It seems the airport layout caused much of the accident situation. Too often I have flown into airports with terrible layouts. Cities, counties and private airstrips sometime have had very poor planning. There are runways with very deep trenches built next to them that may help with water runoff but have been murderous to pilots who have strayed on crosswind errors. And the FAA is currently moving all taxiway exits to within 400 feet of the landing/departure ends of runways making a quick exit improbable and therefore causing go-arounds when a pilot has to go missed because the exiting plane has to travel the length of the runway.
We have a similar layout at our municipal airport. When in the pattern or on final, I have a bird’s eye view of the runway and any automobile traffic crossing to the hangers on the other side. It happens. I’m curious as to why the pilot of the aircraft didn’t see the automobile preparing to cross the runway or, at least, driving on the taxiway and, preparing for worse case scenario, extend his touch down or go around.
The pilot was a student. Concentrating on a lot of things for landing.
Who looks for cars on a runway.
We expect deer but not cars.
Although this will get me to scan the runway area better just before the landing.
A car is a helluva lot bigger than a deer. And a helluva a lot easier to see.
IF I saw a car anywhere near the end of a runway where I was about to land I would prepare for the worst.
Just like I do when approaching an intersection when another car approaches.
If I see a car holding short, I’m gonna assume he’s got me in sight and is waiting for me (the driver said that he was stopped), Not that he’s gonna ram me at the last moment when it’s too late to react. We make the same assumptions for an aircraft holding short. From the comments it sounds like driving on taxiways is not uncommon at some fields. I’m thinking WHAT THE HECK who is in charge of this airport?
Driver only needs four more to become an ace.
Actually, the plane hit the car, and tore off the left wing.!
Looking at the airport layout, it was stupid to put the hangars on the side opposite the access road, so that everyone has to cross the runway , mid field, which is about 1,000 ft from the approach end.
There is a huge open area north of the access road that would accommodate dozens of hangars..
Maybe this is what happens with a private airport, without sufficient engineering of the layout.
There is a access to the hangars via a dirt road that ties into the taxiway on the east side of the field. My guess is the driver got lazy and didn’t want to go around the field. I also would suggest the following as contributing factors: complacency on part of driver (never had any problems at this low activity airport before), obstructed or limited in-vehicle scan by driver; trees and hangar obstructing view of vehicle approach to runway (especially if quick vehicle speed involved); pilot already committed (if not already landed) so unable to go around or stop in time. Thankfully, no one was injured?