- Date
- September 19, 2002, 21:00 local (Sep 20, 2002, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lutz, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N612CBCessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Tampa FSDO - 35
- FAA report
- 20020919025159A
- Case key
- 55757
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain visual lookout and clearance during taxi, which resulted in an on-ground collision with a building.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was taxiing the airplane from the parking area and did not see a wooden post that was part of a porch on the FBO building to his left. The leading edge of the airplane's wingtip struck the post. Examination of the airplane revealed the left leading edge wingtip was damaged, and the wing spar was bent.
Factual narrative
On September 19, 2002, at 2100 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N612CB, registered to Helicopter Structural and Maintenance, Inc., and operated by the private pilot, struck a pole while taxiing at Tampa North Aero Park in Lutz, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight was originating from Tampa North Aero Park in Lutz, Florida, at the time of the accident.
The pilot was taxiing the airplane from the parking area to the runway. He observed an airplane parked to his right and watched to make sure his airplane would clear it. The pilot did not see a wooden post that was part of a porch on the FBO building to his left, and the leading edge of the airplane's left wingtip struck the post.
Examination of the airplane revealed the left leading edge wingtip was damaged, and the wing spar was bent. The pilot failed to respond to repeated requests for an accident report via regular mail, certified mail, and telephone.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N612CB
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275186
- Airframe hours
- 3,969
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Troy Mason Heidel
- Registered owner
- Helicopter Structural and Maintenance, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- X39 · Lutz, FL
- Airport
- X39 · Tampa North Aero Park, runway 14, 3,541 × 50 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 19
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- May 24, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 89 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 80° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- TPA, 17 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.