What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 2, 1999, about 1245 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N5815E, was substantially damaged while taxiing at the Port Columbus International Airport (cmh), Columbus, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91.according to the pilot, she requested a progressive taxi from the ground contoller. The controller told her to taxi south, out of the "airnet ramp", and make a left turn to the east, onto taxiway charlie. The pilot taxied south, and noticed a charlie sign. She made a left turn onto a perimeter road, instead of the taxiway. After the left turn, the left wing of the airplane struck a fence. The pilot further stated that she had never been to cmh before. Examination of the airplane by a federal aviation administration inspector did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The inspector observed spar damage to the left wing. (-23)on may 2, 1999 at approximately 1230 local the pilot stated that she received taxi instructions from Columbus ground control to taxi from airnet ramp to taxiway charlie, and proceed east. The pilot taxied towards taxiway "c" but turned east short of taxiway "c" on to a airport perimeter road, the aircraft's left wing struck a metal post causing substantial damage. (.4) the pilot requested a progressive taxi from the ground controller. The controller told her to taxi south, out of the 'airnet ramp', and make a left turn to the east, onto taxiway charlie. The pilot taxied south, and noticed a 'c' (charlie) taxiway sign. She made a left turn onto a perimeter road, instead of the taxiway. After the left turn, the left wing of the airplane struck a fence. A review of photographs revealed that there was no sign identifying the perimeter road. Additionally, the airport diagram used by the pilot did not depict the perimeter road.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 2, 1999, ABOUT 1245 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172, N5815E, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE TAXIING AT THE PORT COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CMH), COLUMBUS, OHIO. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, SHE REQUESTED A PROGRESSIVE TAXI FROM THE GROUND CONTOLLER. THE CONTROLLER TOLD HER TO TAXI SOUTH, OUT OF THE "AIRNET RAMP", AND MAKE A LEFT TURN TO THE EAST, ONTO TAXIWAY CHARLIE. THE PILOT TAXIED SOUTH, AND NOTICED A CHARLIE SIGN. SHE MADE A LEFT TURN ONTO A PERIMETER ROAD, INSTEAD OF THE TAXIWAY. AFTER THE LEFT TURN, THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT SHE HAD NEVER BEEN TO CMH BEFORE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS, NOR DID THE PILOT REPORT ANY. THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED SPAR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING. (-23)ON MAY 2, 1999 AT APPROXIMATELY 1230 LOCAL THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM COLUMBUS GROUND CONTROL TO TAXI FROM AIRNET RAMP TO TAXIWAY CHARLIE, AND PROCEED EAST. THE PILOT TAXIED TOWARDS TAXIWAY "C" BUT TURNED EAST SHORT OF TAXIWAY "C" ON TO A AIRPORT PERIMETER ROAD, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING STRUCK A METAL POST CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.4) THE PILOT REQUESTED A PROGRESSIVE TAXI FROM THE GROUND CONTROLLER. THE CONTROLLER TOLD HER TO TAXI SOUTH, OUT OF THE 'AIRNET RAMP', AND MAKE A LEFT TURN TO THE EAST, ONTO TAXIWAY CHARLIE. THE PILOT TAXIED SOUTH, AND NOTICED A 'C' (CHARLIE) TAXIWAY SIGN. SHE MADE A LEFT TURN ONTO A PERIMETER ROAD, INSTEAD OF THE TAXIWAY. AFTER THE LEFT TURN, THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE. A REVIEW OF PHOTOGRAPHS REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO SIGN IDENTIFYING THE PERIMETER ROAD. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIRPORT DIAGRAM USED BY THE PILOT DID NOT DEPICT THE PERIMETER ROAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.