# Accident 19990905042689A: Cessna 172N, Carlsbad, CA, September 5, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 5, 1999, 13:00 local time
- Place: Carlsbad, CA
- Airport: Mcclellan-Palomar
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1299° N, 117.2990° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1299&lon=-117.2990&mi=10
- Aircraft: N733WX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N733WX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 920 total, 400 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA309) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990905042689A

## Narrative

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

(.4)ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1999, ABOUT 1300 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N733WX, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAXI FOR TAKEOFF AT THE MCCLENNAN-PALOMAR AIRPORT, CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA. PLUS ONE FLYERS, INC., WAS OPERATING THE RENTAL AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BOUND FOR LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS TIED DOWN IN AN AREA KNOWN AS CINEMA EAST. FROM THIS LOCATION AN AIRPLANE WAS REQUIRED TO TAXI DOWN A ROAD TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE REGULAR TAXIWAY. HE HIT AN UNMARKED TELEPHONE POLE CLOSE TO THE ROAD WITH THE LEFT WING TIP. HE STATED THE ROAD WAS NARROW, BUT HAD A STRIPE DOWN ITS CENTER THAT JOGGED TO AVOID THE POLE. HE SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE. HE DETECTED A SMALL DENT AND NOTED A CHIPPED SECTION OF A THICK APPLICATION OF WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS PUTTY FROM A PREVIOUS REPAIR. HE ALSO NOTED THE WING END CAP WAS CRACKED. SINCE THE DAMAGE DID NOT LOOK SEVERE, HE PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE HIS PLANNED ROUND TRIP TO LAS VEGAS. A SUBSEQUENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTION REVEALED THE WING WAS DISPLACED AFT AND THE WING SPAR BUCKLED. (-23)PILOT STRUCK TELEPHONE POLE WHILE TAXIING TO RUNWAY.  PILOT THEN POCEEDED TO MAKE AROUND-TRIP FLIGHT TO LAS VEGAS, NV, WITHOUT HAVING THE DAMAGE TO THE WING INSPECTED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC.  DAMAGE TO THE WING INCLUDED A BUCKLED WING SPAR, MAKING THE DAMAGE SUBSTANTIAL.

## 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 LAX99LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA309), Sep 5, 1999: Cessna 172N (N733WX), Carlsbad, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from obstacles during taxi in a confined space.

## Other reports on N733WX (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20040921021719I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040921021719I), Sep 21, 2004: Cessna 172N (N733WX), Hillsboro, OR. (-23) At approximately 2205Z on 09/21/2004 while operating N733XW, a Cessna 172N, CFI frank marshall and student pilot phillip garner noticed smoke and fire in…

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.