Things Could Have Been MUCH Worse...

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 05.15.08 1850 EDT: "Like a perfectly planned stunt from a James Bond movie." That's how WFAA-8 in Dallas described the scene following a runway incursion accident at Northwest Regional Airport (52F) in Roanoke, TX Thursday afternoon.

According to reports from the scene -- and evident from the accompanying photos, provided by Doug Reeves of VansAirForce.net -- a Stinson 108-3 had taxied into position at the end of runway 35 when a Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II approached to land.

What could have been a disaster resulted in bent metal, but thankfully no injuries... largely because the Piper's fuselage settled to the side of the Stinson's cabin, its propeller well away from those inside.

The two pilots are reportedly neighbors, and had communicated on the CTAF prior to the collision... but each reportedly thought the other had agreed to yield to the other aircraft.

It's not a stretch to suggest the Piper's low wing may have also prevented its pilot from seeing the high-wing Stinson on the ground, and vice-versa.

Reeves, who is based at Roanoke, noted on the Vans Air Force website that a row of trees at the end of runway 35 "can conceal an aircraft at the run-up area" from an aircraft approaching to land. In turn, those trees can also block the view from an aircraft on the ground, preventing a clear line-of-sight to see any aircraft on final.

FMI: www.nwratx.org, www.faa.gov, www.vansairforce.net