Cessna 180 and Beech J35 accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina, August 15, 2009
On August 15, 2009 at about 7:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 180 (N1044Y) and Beech J35 (N4398D), were involved in the same accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina (Spartansburg Downtown Mem. Apt airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The Cessna pilot's inadequate visual lookout.
The Cessna pilot's inadequate visual lookout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2009 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Spartanburg, South Carolina · Spartansburg Downtown Mem. Apt · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N1044Y · no longer on the register · serial 32833
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · public-use (government) rules
- Aircraft 2
- Beech J35 · all J35s on the register
- Registration
- N4398D · registry record · serial D-5565
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 180 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A tailwheel-equipped Cessna 180 had landed and was taxiing back to the hangar area following a local aerial observation flight. A Beech J35 was parked near the edge of the ramp area, performing an extended run-up prior to departing on a brief local flight. As the Cessna approached the intersection of the taxiway and the ramp area where the Beech was parked, the Cessna struck the Beech. The propellers from both airplanes contacted the left wings of the opposite airplanes. The Cessna pilot shut down the engine, exited the airplane, and saw that his airplane's propeller had torn into the Beech's left wing fuel tank.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Beech J35 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A tailwheel-equipped Cessna 180 had landed and was taxiing back to the hangar area following a local aerial observation flight. A Beech J35 was parked near the edge of the ramp area, performing an extended run-up prior to departing on a brief local flight. As the Cessna approached the intersection of the taxiway and the ramp area where the Beech was parked, the Cessna struck the Beech. The propellers from both airplanes contacted the left wings of the opposite airplanes. The Cessna pilot shut down the engine, exited the airplane, and saw that his airplane's propeller had torn into the Beech's left wing fuel tank.
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 for the Cessna 180 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 16,700 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 10, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,118 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-470-17F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPA Spartanburg SC
- Destination: SPA Spartanburg SC
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from SPA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech J35 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 705 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 575 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kpiyo LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SPA Spartanburg SC
- Destination: SPA Spartanburg SC
- Flight plan: not recorded
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N1044Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA09TA466.