# Accident 19981105039859A: Cessna 152, Petaluma, CA, November 5, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 5, 1998, 11:15 local time - Place: Petaluma, CA - Airport: Petaluma Municipal Airport - Damage: Minor damage - Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 38.2304° N, 122.5592° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2304&lon=-122.5592&mi=10 - Aircraft: N68459, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N68459) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Student - Pilot flight hours: 21 total, 18 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA025) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981105039859A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) MR. COPP, PIC OF THE TIGER MOTH, DEPARTED SONOMA VALLEY AIRPORT ENROUTE TO PETALUMA AIRPORT FOR AUTOFUEL WHICH WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT SONOMA VALLEY AIRPORT. UPON LANDING HE EXITED THE RUNWAY USING A SHALLOW TURN OFF THE RUNWAY. WHILE TURNING HE LOOKED AT THE TAXI WAY FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT BUT DID NOT SEE ANY AND PROCEEDED DOWN THE TAXI-WAY. DUE TO THE WIND BEING 12-15 MPH THE TIGER MOTH ONLY SERPENTINE APPROXIMATELY THE WIDTH OF THE LANDING GEAR (4-5 FT). MR. BALF, REFUELED HIS CESSNA 152 AT PETULUMA, THEN PROCEEDED BY TURNING RIGHT ON THE TAXI-WAY LOOKING BUT NOT SEEING ANY AIRCRAFT. ONCE HE WAS ON THE TAXI-WAY HE SAW THE TIGER MOTH BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE WHICH W AY HE WAS TRAVELING. MR. BALF SLOWED AND ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH THE TIGER MOTH, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RESPONSE. FIRST REVING THE ENGINE IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE TIGER MOTH, MR. BALF DECIDED TO EXIT THE TAXI-WAY TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT WING TIP OF THE CESSNA IMPACTED THE LEFT WING STRUT OF THE TIGER MOTH. DAMAGE TO THE CESSNA INCLUDED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING TIP APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES INBOARD AND THE AREA JUST FORWARD OF THE LEFT FLAP WAS DAMAGED TO INCLUDE THE REAR SPAR. THE FLAPS WERE FORCED INTO FUSELAGE DURING IMPACT. TIGER MOTH DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE INCLUDED THE AFT WING SPAR THAT WAS CRACKED, WING SUPPORT STRUT SPLIT, AND APPROXIMATELY 14 INCHES INBOARD FROM THE WINGTIP NOSE RIBS WERE BROKEN. BOTH RADIO'S WERE OPERATIONAL. PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WERE NOT INJURED. ## 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 LAX99LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA025), Nov 5, 1998: Cessna 152 (N68459), Petaluma, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the pilot in the Tiger Moth to see and avoid traffic. A contributing factor was the delayed reaction of the student pilot in the Cessna to initiate a turnoff of the taxiway once it became… ## Other reports on N68459 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20250615009319I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250615009319I), Jun 15, 2025: Cessna 152 (N68459), Oakland, CA, Minor damage. During the departure roll on runway 28R, the flight crew reported a bird strike. The aircraft subsequently notified air traffic control (ATC) of the incident.… - [Incident 19950927042149I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950927042149I), Sep 27, 1995: Cessna 152 (N68459), Petaluma, CA, Minor damage. Narrative: on September 27, 1995, a Cessna 152, N68459, was being operated by student pilot rex davidson. On final approach to runway 29 at Petaluma airport… 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.