Amateur-built RV6 N116JM accident near Everett, Washington

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from objects during taxi. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate marking of the taxiway and obstacles.

NTSB analysis

The pilot started the airplane and began to taxi between two rows of hangars. As he approached the east-west taxiway at the end of the rows, he stopped to contact ground control and look at the windsock. After several minutes, ground control cleared him to taxi to runway 16L. He began to taxi toward the east-west taxiway, and was about to start making S-turns to look for obstacles. After traveling 40-60 feet, the propeller, right wing, and right landing gear contacted poles surrounding a fire hydrant. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot noted that the airplane had conventional landing gear and he could not see the hydrant or surrounding poles over its nose. He also indicated that there was no taxi stripe from between the hangars to the east-west taxiway that would lead a pilot away from the poles.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR09CA416 for the full record.