# Incident 20131216023609I: Cessna 172S, Wickenberg, AZ, December 16, 2013

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 16, 2013, 09:30 local time
- Place: Wickenberg, AZ
- Airport: Wickenberg
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9858° N, 112.7683° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Wickenburg, AZ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9858&lon=-112.7683&mi=10
- Aircraft: N421ER, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N421ER) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 70 total, 70 in this make and model, 62 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131216023609I

## Narrative

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

ON 12/16/2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 THE AIRCRAFT N421ER, C-172 RIGHT WING LEADING EDGE STRUCK A LIGHT POLE WHILE THE STUDENT PILOT WAS TAXIING TO PARKING.

THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS RUSHED AND STRESSED BECAUSE HE NEEDED TO GO TO THE RESTROOM AND ATTEMPTED TO PARK THE AIRCRAFT QUICKLY.

ACCESS TO THE RAMP AREA NORMALLY USED BY THE STUDENT PILOT WAS BLOCKED BY OTHER AIRCRAFT REFUELING.

THE STUDENT PILOT ALSO STATED THAT A JET AIRCRAFT NEXT TO THE SPOT THE STUDENT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN WAS THE FOCUS OF HIS ATTENTION AND HE NEVER NOTICED THE LIGHT POLE UNTIL THE WING STRUCK THE POLE DURING A 180 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT. THE STUDENT IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN AND CALLED HIS FIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

## Other reports on N421ER (2)

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

- [Incident 20260830012029I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260830012029I), Aug 30, 2026: Cessna 172S (N421ER), Santa Monica, CA, Minor damage. On August 30, 2026, pilot, [privacy data omitted], was operating [privacy data omitted] (Cessna 172S) at Santa Monica airport (ksmo). At approximately 1600…
- [Accident 20130320003499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130320003499A), Mar 20, 2013: Cessna 172S (N421ER), Gila Bend, AZ, Substantial damage. On 3/20/2013 the student pilot left deer valley airport (dvt) on a solo cross country flight to Gila Bend municipal (E63). After landing at 1000 he taxied on…

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.

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