# Accident 19970228002049A: Cessna 172P, Jackson, TN, February 28, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 28, 1997, 19:01 local time
- Place: Jackson, TN
- Airport: Mckellar-Sipes Regional Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6295° N, 88.8200° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6295&lon=-88.8200&mi=10
- Aircraft: N98991, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N98991-2013-05-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172P (registry code 2072436, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4M
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 768 total, 550 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA090) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970228002049A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT TAXIED CLEAR OF RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY, ENCOUNTERED PATCHY FOG NEAR TURNOFF, RAN OFF HIT A LIGHT POLE. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 28, 1997, ABOUT 1901 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172P, N98991, REGISTERED TO CIVIL AIR PATROL INC., OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 (OTHER WORK) FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH A POLE WHILE TAXING. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO RAIN AND GROUND FOG) WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT, AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE PASSENGER REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ABOUT 1 HOUR 35 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE DIVERTED TO JACKSON, TENNESSEE, DUE TO WEATHER. AFTER LANDING ROLLOUT ON RUNWAY 20, HE TRANSITIONED TO THE TAXIWAY TO GO TO THE LOCAL FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO). HE DID NOT LOOK AT THE AIRPORT DIAGRAM DUE TO BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT.  A HEAVY RAIN SHOWER CAME IN FROM THE WEST AND THERE WAS SOME AREAS OF GROUND FOG, WHICH REDUCED HIS VISIBILITY. HE CONTINUED TO TAXI FOLLOWING THE YELLOW LINE; HOWEVER, HIS TAXI SPEED WAS TOO FAST FOR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED, AND HE D ID NOT REQUEST ANY ASSISTANCE FROM THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. HE TAXIED ONTO THE RAMP, AND WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE FOR THE FBO WHEN HIS PASSENGER SAID SOMETHING. HE REALIZED THE AIRPLANE HAD TRAVELED OFF THE RAMP AND WAS ON THE GRASS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A POLE BEFORE HE COULD APPLY BRAKES. WHEN ASKED WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED HE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED TAXIING. HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT, WHILE TRYING TO LOCATE THE FBO AND COLLIDED WITH THE POLE.                               (-23) PILOT LANDED AND CLEARED RUNWAY.  WHILE TAXIING INTO RAMP AREA, PILOT ALLOWED HIS AIRCRAFT TO DEPART THE HARD SURFACE TAXIWAY INTO A GRASS AREA AND STRIKE A LIGHTED POLE.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    (.4) AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT TRANSITIONED TO THE TAXIWAY TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. HE DID NOT REVIEW THE AIRPORT DIAGRAM DUE TO BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE TAXING HE ENCOUNTERED A HEAVY RAIN SHOWER AND GROUND FOG. HE CONTINUED TO THE RAMP FOLLOWING THE YELLOW LINE; HOWEVER, HIS TAXISPEED WAS TOO FAST FOR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED. HE TAXIED ONTO THE RAMP, AND WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE FOR THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR WHEN HIS PASSENGER SAID SOMETHING. HE REALIZED THE AIRPLANE HAD TRAVELED OFF THE RAMP ONTO THE GRASS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A POLE BEFORE HE COULD APPLY THE BRAKES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA090), Mar 1, 1997: Cessna 172P (N98991), Jackson, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout while taxing. The reduced visibility was a factor.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.