# NTSB ATL04LA167: Cessna 172M, N71409, Winston Salem, NC, July 1, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 1, 2004, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Winston Salem, NC - Coordinates: 36.133609, -80.216941 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1336&lon=-80.2169&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Greensboro FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59988 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04LA167 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59988/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA167 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the fence post, while taxing which resulted in a collision. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing - object - fence post - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command ## Analysis According to both pilots, after landing, the airplane was cleared to taxi to the north ramp. Both pilots stated that the CFI in the left seat took control of the airplane in order to position and park it. The pilot in control of the airplane at the time of the accident, CFI- left, stated, "while pushing the left rudder, [his] foot slipped down and off the [left] pedal." He stated that he then immediately "pushed full left rudder, but the right wing... hit one of the corner metal poles." The pilot not in control of the airplane at the time of the accident, CFI-right, stated that as the pilot in control "was beginning to set-up the aircraft's turn, his foot immediately slipped off of the rudder. This caused the aircraft's wing to hit a fence pole." Both pilots stated that the airplane was immediately shut down and assistance was sought. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing sustained leading edge spar damage and extensive skin buckling, and the right wing tip was crushed. The engine, landing gear, fuselage, and left wing were intact and undamaged. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot. ## Factual narrative On July 1, 2004, at 1500 eastern daylight time, N71409, a Cessna 172M, registered to and operated by Triad Air, Inc., collided with a fence post while taxiing after landing at Smith Reynolds Airport, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot-in-command, a certified flight instructor seated in the left seat (CFI-left), and the certified flight instructor seated in the right seat, (CFI-right), were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage. The local flight originated at Smith Reynolds Airport, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on July 1, 2004, at 1330. According to the operator, the flight had taken place prior to the accident for the purpose of an initial checkout for a newly hired flight instructor, CFI-right. According to both pilots, after landing, the airplane was cleared to taxi to the north ramp. Both pilots stated that the CFI-left took control of the airplane in order to position and park it. The pilot in control of the airplane at the time of the accident, CFI- left, stated, "while pushing the left rudder, [his] foot slipped down and off the [left] pedal." He stated that he then immediately "pushed full left rudder, but the right wing... hit one of the corner metal poles." The pilot not in control of the airplane at the time of the accident, CFI-right, stated that as the pilot in control "was beginning to set-up the aircraft's turn, his foot immediately slipped off of the rudder. This caused the aircraft's wing to hit a fence post." Both pilots stated that the airplane was immediately shut down and assistance was sought. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing sustained leading edge spar damage and extensive skin buckling, and the right wing tip was crushed. The engine, landing gear, fuselage, and left wing were intact and undamaged. Examination of the aircraft logbooks revealed that the right wing was replaced per Federal Aviation Regulations and procedures on July 23, 2004. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilots. Notification of this accident from the operator was received by the NTSB on August 12, 2004. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N71409](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N71409), registered now, S/N 17267227, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17267227 - Airframe hours: 3669.9 - Engines: Lycoming O-320E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Triad Air Inc., - Registered owner: Triad Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 4, 2004, 75.7 hours before - Departed: KINT, Winston Salem, NC - Destination: Winston Salem, NC - Airport: KINT, Smith Reynolds ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 26; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 2, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 325 total - Flight instructor; age 30; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 18, 2004; seat: right; flight hours: 360 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Observed at: kint ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040701023999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040701023999A), Jul 1, 2004: Cessna 172M, Winston Salem, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) The owner of the flight school and the Cessna 172 stated that the pilot, william p. wege, and another pilot, beth o'malley, were taxiing the aircraft to… ## Other investigations on N71409 (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 MIA83LA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA83LA141), May 13, 1983: Cessna 172M (N71409), Ocean Way, FL, substantial damage 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. --- 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.