# Accident 19980901022509A: Cessna 172G, Leesburg, FL, September 1, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 1, 1998, 12:00 local time - Place: Leesburg, FL - Airport: Leesburg Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Starting Engines - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 28.8229° N, 81.8084° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LEESBURG INTL (LEE), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8229&lon=-81.8084&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5797R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5797R) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172G (registry code 2072420, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172G - Reported engine: CONT O300D - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 370 total, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA234) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980901022509A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAXI BUT WOULD NOT MOVE, PILOT STEPPED OUT OF THE ACFT TO REMOVE THE CHOCKS, AND THE EMPTY ACFT MOVED FORWARD AND STRUCK A FENCE.(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1998, ABOUT 1200 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172G, N5797R, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AT LEESBURG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LEESBURG, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PRIVATE -RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT SINCE HAVING THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED. HE STARTED THE ENGINE TO GO ON A LOCAL FLIGHT AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO TAXI, THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT MOVE. HE LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING AND GOT OUT TO SEE IF HE HAD LEFT A WHEEL CHOCK IN PLACE OR IF A BRAKE WAS LOCKED. AFTER HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT, IT BEGAN TO MOVE. HE HELD ONTO THE AIRCRAFT AND IT MADE A CIRCLE BEFORE HE FELL DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED ACROSS A TAXIWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE, WHERE IT CAME TO REST. (.4) ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1998, ABOUT 1200 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172G, N5797R, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AT LEESBURG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LEESBURG, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO BEGIN TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT MOVE. HE LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO SEE IF HE HAD LEFT THE WHEEL CHOCKS IN PLACE. AS HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT IT BEGAN TO MOVE. THE WIND FROM THE PROPELLER PREVENTED HIM FROM GETTING BACK IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED UNCONTROLLED AND MADE A 360-DEGREE TURN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TAXIED ACROSS A TAXIWAY INTO A FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. (-23) PILOT UNTIED THE AIRCRAFT AND PREFLIGHTED SAME. PILOT ENTERED AIRCRAFT AND STARTED THE ENGINE. PILOT APPLIED POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT MOVE. PILOT THEN OPENED THE L/H DOOR TO LOOK AT THE AIRCRAFT WHEELS FOR CHOCKS OR OBSTRUCTIONS. WITNESS STATED IT APPEARED THAT IN AN EFFORT TO OBSERVE TH E RIGHT WHEEL, THE PILOT FELL OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT . ## 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 MIA98LA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA234), Sep 1, 1998: Cessna 172G (N5797R), Leesburg, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to leave the engine running with no one at the controls as he exited the aircraft to check for wheel chocks in place. This resulted in the aircraft moving uncontrolled and… 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.