Pilot prangs Metro while using cel phone during taxi

[Sulako]

Click the link for pics of sad propeller

http://www.nycaviation.com/2013/02/pilo ... SjebvJX0qj

A small charter aircraft taxiing to depart at JFK International Airport received damage after hitting ground lights on Thursday evening, according to information received by NYCAviation.

While taxiing across the active Runway 31R on taxiway Echo, the Swearingen SA226-AT Merlin IV’s propellers struck runway edge lighting. The incident led to partial loss of the propeller blades, and as one might, expect, some flying blade fragments wound up creating some small dents on the aircraft’s fuselage. The runway was closed for two hours as a result.

The pilot is reported to have been operating his cell phone at the same time, leading to a loss of situational awareness. The FAA is investigating the incident.

There were no injuries reported as a result.

This is the second incident involving this same aircraft. According to NTSB records, five years ago this very month, this aircraft veered off the runway at Ankeny Regional Airport (KIKV) in Iowa. After encountering deeper snow than expecting on takeoff roll, the aircraft swerved to the left and struck a snow-bank, heavily damaging the nose gear. There were no injuries

[Liquid Charlie]

This is the second incident involving this same aircraft. According to NTSB records, five years ago this very month

Now I get it -- blame the airplane ---

[Beefitarian]

Impressive.

[Doc]

I see far too many aircraft taxiing with the right seater's head down, even in my small corner of the world. Taxiing is a VISUAL manoeuvre, not one to be done on the dials, or on the phone. Play safe.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

I see far too many aircraft taxiing with the right seater's head down,

Tell us more.

[DanWEC]

I see far too many aircraft taxiing with the right seater's head down,

Tell us more.

HAHA!
Of course, it makes perfect sense with one of the F/O's up there...(hee hee) .... The question is which side is enjoying it more?

[Doc]

I see far too many aircraft taxiing with the right seater's head down,

Tell us more.

I know it pisses me off to have guys text their wives while we're taxiing. Heads down doing paperwork etc. It may not be a big deal it your don't see the oncoming Pinto from the window of your Hyundai. It's a serious issue if you don't see the landing Metro. Pilots just don't take the "easy" stuff seriously enough.

[Sidebar]

I once flew with a captain who dug his phone out of his bag and answered it while he taxied.

Never mind the CARs, maybe we should have a code of rules like Gibbs on NCIS:
1. Aviate
2. Navigate
3. Communicate
4. ...
...
2847. Talk on cel phone while taxiing.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

The worst group for answering a cell phone are businessmen, especially those rich enough to afford their own airplanes.

Believe it or not I had a owner pilot answer his cell phone just after the nose wheel contacted the runway landing at one of Europe's busiest airport......I couldn't fu.king believe it I was so taken by surprise I almost let the thing run off the runway before I took control of the airplane.

Ahhh I do miss the thrills of checking out the rich on their own airplanes.

[GRK]

Drives me nuts! I had an FO a few years back pick up the clip board, turn on his cell phone and start the after landing flow...and we were still doing over 80 knots and hadn't cleared the runway yet. When I gently reminded him that I needed his attention and his eyes outside, he was offended and made it quite clear that he thought I was out of line. After a chat (post duty) about what his response consisted of, he still wasnt impressed and said so. Needless to say his efforts to upgrade were not very successful. He did end up getting a job overseas and made his command (B777 I believe) but his reputation as a "Ball Breaker" is widely known. The checklist where I now work actually has a cell phone OFF as a part of the before start checklist, and we are not allowed to turn them back on until shutdown. Our Cabin Crew are a little laxadaisical with that rule, but it's like herding cats when trying to keep that bunch in line!

[CD]

Well, the FAA tried through advisory material to get the message out and then in January, introduced a proposed regulation to try and impose common sense...

FAA SAFO 09003 - Cellular Phone Usage on the Flight Deck
FAA NPRM - Docket No. FAA–2012–0929 - Prohibition on Personal Use of Electronic Devices on the Flight Deck - January 15, 2013

[trey kule]

This is a really common problem nowadays (the incident, not CS's posts) It even was part of a feature in Flying magazine a couple of months back..

So the question here is how many people who do this read this incident report and made a committment to stop using their cell phones in the cockpit? I would like to see them post. Here is an opportunity to learn.

My guess is while deriding this guy as a Maroon, they will justify their use of the cellphone by claiming they do not use it while taxiing, only occassionally on the take off roll, and seldom on the landing roll out, completely rationalizing their exemption.

We all talk about professionalism, but I dont know a large or medium sized company that has not had to put this in their SOPs as the 'professionals' are to stupid to realize the danger or the consequences..
and even then, they simply rationalize that the Ops manual simply does not apply to them.

As far as the investigation goes, I expect that the FAA might just want to make an example of this pilot...kill the chicken to scare the monkey, or as the PC say,,,to act as a deterrent to others..Otherwise this type of stupidity typically just means a bit of a gap in the employment history, an "oops and I feel bad about damaging your plane...but it is not my fault as no one but a couple of cranky old captains complained about it, and off to the next step in the career ladder.

I will no doubt be flamed for being harsh, but if this type of incident ended the career of a few pilots it really might work as a deterrent. After all, it is only occassionally that pilots luck runs out when doing this..most of the time lady luck protects the stupid.

[JMACK]

OK this reminds me of a Captain I really liked flying with a great guy and pretty darn good driver too but he loved his toys. I bet he is still a cell phone computer gadget geek today. Haven't bumped into him in years

One day he scared the BeeJesus out of me as we were crossing the fence (I'm flying) the DV window slides open and he attempts to start his minivan in the parking lot. More than a decade ago so statute of limitations eh!

So cell phone transgressions rarely spook me as much as that. But as Doc says it is a much better practice to have 2 heads up then 1 feverishly trying to finish paperwork or text the spouse.

J

[Xander]

This is a modern aviation plague.

I flew for a major regional airline and I now fly for a major airline here in Canada and at both outfits I had captains using their cells while taxiing. As a fo you have to speak up in that kind of situation, however hard it may seem.

There's many things you can do or say.

I find that when you offer to taxi (there's no tiller on the fo side of the 190), it usually rings a bell.

I've had to say it a couple times : "You know, I'd be more comfortable If you didnt use your cell..."

You can also put on the brakes, but that's a little extreme for someone still on probation...

Anyway I can't wait for it to be included in the before start checklist.

[trey kule]

Lots of learning accomplished here from all the posters who have never done it and offer advice to deal with the idiots who do...
Still waiting for one...Just one person to post and say...Yep, I did this..I realize now how lucky I was not to have bent anything, and will not do it again"
What do you all think are the chances of that happening?

And we scratch our heads and wonder why accidents keep reoccuring.
Doing stupid and potentially dangerous things in the cockpit only applies when fortune does not smile on us and we have to try to justify our behavior after the fact...
What do you suppose the pilot in this incident will use to justify his using the phone?
I am willing to guess it is very similar to what some of the readers here will say to justify their use...

[ahramin]

While I haven't taxied into anything while on the phone (in fact I've quit using my phone entirely while driving anything) I have been caught a few times being distracted by texts etc during cockpit checks. I've found that the right time to put the phone into airplane mode is either before the crew briefing or before walking into the airplane, whichever comes first.

[alti2d]

There was a story I'd heard at a previous place of employment (though I can't verify the truthiness of it) of a pilot answering his cell phone while on an approach to land. Though I doubt the conditions were IFR, he was on a recurrent check ride.... He didn't pass the check ride, oddly enough.

[oldtimer]

I heard the same story, only to have it confirmed by one who was there. Seems this pilot was having trouble adapting during initial airplane training so the chief pilot went up with the hero to see if more training would solve the problem or should they cut him loose. On the training flight, just intercepting the final approach course, he answered his cell phone. They cut him loose.
I watched a Global TV episode on distracted driving the other night and it was amazing how many drivers knew that the practice was dangerous and illegal but still continued to do it and many said they would not stop. I make it a habit if I was in a store and the salesperson answers his phone, I walk out.
When I was still flying, it was company policy to call ops on the phone after take-off. I policy I hated but learned to live with.
I now always carry a camera and if I am ever involved in an accident where someone was on the phone and I can get pictures, I would sue the living shit out of the person responsible.

[Doc]

Well, my post on the subject struck a nerve. I've been texted on the subject. To be perfectly honest, I don't find a text, or a call while in cruise to be that distracting, but I really like two heads out the window during ground ops. Aircraft come with windshields on both sides of the cockpit. They have clear glass on both sides. These are to look out of. Copying down the "off the blocks" times and other paperwork or activities that take your attention from the outside of the airplane can wait. When the cruise segment of the flight is reached, this is the time to do log sheet/book entries. I've been flying for several hours without hitting anything.....I'd really like to continue to do so.
It's a sad statement of affairs in the industry, when everybody is tripping over themselves to try and convince ourselves that we're all so bloody "professional", and you require an FAR or a CAR to tell you to refrain from texting while you taxi? Can't text on the highways? WTF makes you think it's Okay to text while you taxi. C'MON MAN!

[thatlowtimer]

Anyway I can't wait for it to be included in the before start checklist.

Amen, brutha.

People ALWAYS follow the checklists..

Im personally looking forward to the, "window--- cracked open" in the before farting checklist.

In all seriousness don't text and fly.

[Siddley Hawker]

Im personally looking forward to the, "window--- cracked open" in the before farting checklist.

Tht one will probably go the way of

Nacelles & windows......... Clean & closed

on the line-up check.

[7thirtyseven]

You guys make me laugh. Odds are he/she was going to hit those lights regardless of the cell phone. Odds are he/she wasnt getting paid enough to give a rats ass anyways (really really funny to hear talk of "professionalism" when he/she is making less than 20k) Finally odds are great that the cellphone call being made was for a compqny operational issue or arranging a lovely evening.... Both are equally important.
But carry on boys and girls just love hearing all the stories of pilots who are incapable of both taxiing and listening... Tough tough stuff that is!!!! Lets stamp it all out! !! "Yes you, no listening to ground while you taxi, its an unproffessional distraction!" God forbid you have a second freq going!!! Or a third.

[justwork]

You can also put on the brakes, but that's a little extreme for someone still on probation...

Nope, not extreme. Especially if you're on probation. You feel that the safety of the crew, pax, and plane are in jepordy then do something. He doesn't like it, go talk to the CP. You think the CP will spank you for stopping a multi million dollar machine because the driver is on the phone?

[Rowdy]

I think the problem here is ignorance. Sure there are many out there who can drive/fly/eat/shit while texting and its like second nature and doesnt cause one bit of a hinderance. But there are many who ARENT capable and still think they are regardless of the environment.

7thirtyseven had it spot on. They could have just as easily been distracted (sans cell) by a radio call, a checklist, or even day dreaming of his gf,the 757 on final or some Halo 3 as he blundered off the taxi way. A lot of people just dont pay attention!! Whats next? Ban all distractions?

There have been a dozen instances that come to mind where a simple text has added to the safety of the operation. Albeit those texts are checked and responded to at appropriate times, taking the original principles of AVIATE NAVIGATE and then Communicate to heart.

Perhaps limiting all distractions (like the sterile cockpit concept if anyone cares to remember) from critical phases of flight.. and ONE of those being the PIC while taxiing!

[Xander]

You can also put on the brakes, but that's a little extreme for someone still on probation...

Nope, not extreme. Especially if you're on probation. You feel that the safety of the crew, pax, and plane are in jepordy then do something. He doesn't like it, go talk to the CP. You think the CP will spank you for stopping a multi million dollar machine because the driver is on the phone?

Then it becomes your word against his.

A FO on probation versus a multi year captain.

Maybe he knows the CP very well. Maybe they're buddies, who knows?

How do you prove he was using his cell? Unless he's speaking there is no noise on the cvr. Texting is silent.

Anyway it's not in my nature to go cry to the CP for a matter like that. As colleagues we're able to resolve those kind of issues between ourselves without management being involved.

Putting the brakes wouldn't be my first course of action. I wouldn't exclude it, but use it as a last resort.

I would speak first.

But hey, that's just me