Cessna 550 accident near Moline, Illinois, November 23, 2011
On November 23, 2011 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 550, registered N544PS, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Moline, Illinois (Quad Cities International airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the parked, unoccupied airplane while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the guidance provided by the marshaller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 2011 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Moline, Illinois · Quad Cities International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 550 · all 550s on the register
- Registration
- N544PS · registry record · serial 550-0847
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing at night, the pilot was taxiing the airplane on a ramp with the airplane's taxi lights illuminated and was paying attention to the ramp marshaller. The pilot originally thought the marshaller would have him park in the position directly next to the fixed base operator; however, the marshaller had the pilot execute a left 180-degree turn and park with the cabin door facing the door of the building. While watching the marshaller outside the right cockpit window, the pilot lost sight of a parked, unoccupied airplane. The pilot then noticed the parked airplane and attempted to stop; however, the airplane's left wing contacted the parked airplane's forward fuselage and nose landing gear. A postaccident examination of the accident airplane showed that the left wing was crushed and bent. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the contact with the parked airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Issuing instructions › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,150 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 10,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,292 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 3, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 14,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada 535A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada 530A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pws Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 11:45 pm
- Destination: MLI Moline IL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.