The pilot reported that while taxiing for takeoff at the airport in Perris, California, he saw a skip loader on the immediate left edge of the taxiway and noted there was sufficient clearance to avoid it.
However, during the taxi, his attention was distracted by setting up the GPS for the flight, and the Cessna 182 drifted left, and hit the skip loader.
The right horizontal stabilizer was substantially damaged.
The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s diverted attention while taxiing which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from the skip loader.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This May 2020 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.
That was an accident that was surely avoidable but then
there are pilots that should not be pilots
Better to conduct one task at a time, especially when there are distractions on the grd., namely hazards like the loader.
No texting and driving!
What the hell was a skip loader doing that close to taxiway.
Vehicle traffic within the movement area are in radio contact with ground.
And aero planes are supposed to stay on the taxiways, ramps, and runways…lol
“No texting while driving,” they said at the airline I worked for.
The pictures were fun. Left wing was damaged when it hit the loader. Right stabilizer was damaged when he dropped into the ditch. What I really want to know is how much is it going to cost to repair the paint on the loader 😉