At 15:26 central time, a Curtiss-Wright SB2C struck a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane while taxiing at New Orleans Lakefront Airport. The SB2C, the only flying example of the World War II dive-bomber, sustained minor damage. No one was injured. The pilot of the Cessna reported that she had just landed on runway 36R and exited the runway at taxiway Juliet, where she stopped to perform her after-landing checklist. The pilot of the Helldiver was holding on Juliet on the other side of the runway, waiting for the Cessna to exit. He was cleared to taxi to parking and twice asked the ground controller if traffic ahead was clear. The tailwheel airplane had limited visibility to the front and the narrow taxiway made S-turns impossible. The controller said the route was clear, but the Helldiver ran into the back of the Cessna while it was stopped on the taxiway.
December 08, New Orleans, La. / Curtiss-Wright Helldiver and Cessna 152
At 15:26 central time, a Curtiss-Wright SB2C struck a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane while taxiing at New Orleans Lakefront Airport. The SB2C, the only flying example of the World War II dive-bomber, sustained minor damage. No one was injured. The pilot of the Cessna reported that she had just landed on runway 36R and exited the runway at taxiway Juliet, where she stopped to perform her after-landing checklist. The pilot of the Helldiver was holding on Juliet on the other side of the runway, waiting for the Cessna to exit. He was cleared to taxi to parking and twice asked the ground controller if traffic ahead was clear. The tailwheel airplane had limited visibility to the front and the n...
Key Takeaways:
- A rare Curtiss-Wright SB2C Helldiver collided with a Cessna 152 at New Orleans Lakefront Airport during taxiing, resulting in no injuries and minor damage to the SB2C.
- The incident occurred when the Cessna was stopped on a taxiway after landing, and the Helldiver, attempting to taxi to parking, struck its rear.
- Key factors contributing to the collision included the Helldiver's limited forward visibility from its tailwheel configuration and an incorrect "route clear" instruction from the ground controller.
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