Car vs SR22

This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.

Was conducting before takeoff checks in SR22 on the ramp (end of 1 taxiway) at ZZZ. Aircraft was parked in southeast corner of ramp.

Began taxiing towards the hold short line on the connecting taxiway between the ramp and 1 taxiway.

There is an airport perimeter road that crosses the taxiway connector just prior to reaching the hold short line. Initially, while taxiing the perimeter road was off of left wing of aircraft. No vehicular traffic was noted.

Began turn onto taxiway connector towards hold short line and taxied towards hold short line.

While approaching hold short line, perimeter road was perpendicular to direction of travel/taxiway connector.

Shortly prior to reaching the hold short line, an automobile crossed directly in front of taxiing aircraft from the left to the right (i.e. vehicle traveling west-southwest).

Aircraft ground speed was ~10 kts at time when vehicle was observed.

Immediately applied maximum braking effort and brought aircraft to a stop.

I estimate that the vehicle missed the propeller/spinner of aircraft by less than 1 foot.

After bringing aircraft to a stop and realizing no contact had been made, I looked to the right and saw the vehicle stopped about 100 feet away. The vehicle (noted to have US government plates) then drove away and continued to drive down the airport perimeter road.

I acquired taxi clearance for a 1 intersection departure on Runway XX. While taxiing the aircraft west-southwest on the 1 taxiway, observed the sedan turn into the storage area on the airport.

I informed ZZZ Ground control of the near collision while taxiing towards the Runway XX/1 intersection.

Flight continued uneventfully.

Later review of the ramp area, perimeter road, and security camera footage yielded the following observations:

• Between the ramp and perimeter road there is a slight earthen berm that is elevated above both the ramp and the perimeter road. While driving a “side-by-side” tug on the perimeter road along the path the car was traveling, it was noted that this berm should NOT have totally obscured the visibility of the aircraft from the vehicle’s perspective.
• There is a “STOP” line and text painted on the perimeter road, but NO stop sign.
• Security camera footage shows the aircraft taxiing with no vehicle visible. Then the aircraft starts a left turn to the XXY heading on the taxiway connector when the car then appears when the aircraft is about halfway through that turn.
• The car does NOT stop at the STOP marking on the perimeter road, although somewhat slowed down, then accelerates as it passed over the STOP marking, while the aircraft continues toward the hold short line.
• The two continue to converge until the aircraft stopped (the car does not appear to accelerate/decelerate at or near point of near collision).

Other contributing factors:

• Facility from which aircraft was operated has had intermittent use at the airport over the last 15-20 years.
• Current operator (aircraft manufacturer) moved into the facility the first week of month in Year 3.
• Former operator (airline contract maintenance) ceased operations in the summer of Year 0.
• Automobile was likely operated by the military and the driver was likely accustomed to essentially no aircraft movement on that ramp/taxiway given the limited previous use of the facility.
• Pilot had limited previous experience operating aircraft out of the facility around 11 years prior and had less than five flights from the location since moving back into the facility in Year 3, thus was not accustomed to checking for crossing vehicular traffic.

Primary Problem: Ambiguous

ACN: 2031082