# Accident 20020902024269A: Cessna 172I, Tucson, AZ, September 2, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 2, 2002, 12:02 local time - Place: Tucson, AZ - Airport: Tucson International - Damage: Substantial damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.1161° N, 110.9411° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1161&lon=-110.9411&mi=10 - Aircraft: N404SW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N404SW) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172I (registry code 2072426, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172i) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172I - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA274) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020902024269A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED, THEY HAD JUST LANDED ON RUNWAY 11R AND WERE TAXIING TO THE WEST RAMP VIA TAXIWAY ALPHA AS DIRECTED ON THE GROUND FREQUENCY. TAXIWAY ALPHA PARALLELS RUNWAY 11L. A UNITED BOEING 737 WAS HOLDING SHORT FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 11L, AT TAXIWAY A4, AS N404SW WAS TAXIING BEHIND IT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE WAS DISCUSSING JET BLAST AWARENESS WITH HIS STUDENT AS THEY WERE PASSING THE JET. THEY TAXIED AS FAR TO THE RIGHT SIDE AS THEY COULD TO AVOID THE BLAST. HE STATED THAT THE BOEING 737 WAS NOT ON THE GROUND FREQUENCY, BUT MONITORING THE TOWER WHILE AWAITING TAKEOFF CLEARANCE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ALSO STATED THAT AS N404SW BEGAN TO MOVE BACK IN TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE TAXIWAY THE LEFT WING ROSE INTO THE AIR. THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT HIT THE GROUND TWO TIMES AS THE AIRPLANE OSCILLATED AND THEN WEATHERVANED TOWARDS THE JET. THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE PAVED SURFACE, WHICH TWISTED ONE BLADE AND DAMAGED THE OTHER. THE INSTRUCTOR SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE, MASTER SWITCH, AND EXITED AIRPLANE WITH THE STUDENT. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 02, 2002, AT 1202 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172, N404SW, ENCOUNTERED JET BLAST FROM A DEPARTING COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT AIRPLANE, WHILE TAXING TO THE RAMP AFTER LANDING AT TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (TUS), TUCSON, ARIZONA. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND BOTH THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT WERE NOT INJURED. ARIZONA AERO-TECH WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 1100. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THEY HAD JUST LANDED ON RUNWAY 11R AND WERE TAXIING TO THE WEST RAMP VIA TAXIWAY ALPHA AS DIRECTED ON THE GROUND FREQUENCY. TAXIWAY ALPHA PARALLELS RUNWAY 11L. A UNITED BOEING 737 WAS HOLDING SHORT FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 11L, AT TAXIWAY A4, AS N404SW WAS TAXIING BEHIND IT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE WAS DISCUSSING JET BLAST AWARENESS WITH HIS STUDENT AS THEY WERE PASSING THE JET. THEY TAXIED AS FAR TO THE RIGHT SIDE AS THEY COULD TO AVOID THE BLAST. HE STATED THAT THE BOEING 737 WAS NOT ON THE GROUND FREQUENCY, BUT MONITORING THE TOWER WHILE AWAITING TAKEOFF CLEARANCE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ALSO STATED THAT AS N404SW BEGAN TO MOVE BACK IN TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE TAXIWAY THE LEFT WING ROSE INTO THE AIR. THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT HIT THE GROUND TWO TIMES AS THE AIRPLANE OSCILLATED AND THEN WEATHERVANED TOWARDS THE JET. THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE PAVED SURFACE, WHICH TWISTED ONE BLADE AND DAMAGED THE OTHER. THE INSTRUCTOR SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND MASTER ELECTRICAL SWITCH, AND EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITH THE STUDENT. ## 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 LAX02LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA274), Sep 2, 2002: Cessna 172I (N404SW), Tucson, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the certified flight instructor's failure to maintain an adequate distance from a jet during taxi. A factor was the local/ground controller's failure to issue a safety alert or cautionary advisory to… ## Other reports on N404SW (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20210517009359I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210517009359I), May 17, 2021: Cessna 172I (N404SW), Queen Creek, AZ, Minor damage. Pilot departed 5AZ3 and had the entry door pop open, he focused on his passenger and closing the door securely and failed to do his landing checklist, thus not… 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.