- Date
- April 12, 1994, 08:22 local (12:22 UTC)
- Place
- Poughkeepsie, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N5962UPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 16, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940412007799A
- Case key
- 8908
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 student pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane immediately after engine start, and his delay in reducing power and applying the brakes.
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 student pilot had just started the engine in order to taxi the airplane for refueling. He was preparing the airplane for the FAA Private Pilot Practical Examination. The airplane's engine raced immediately following engine start and the airplane began to move forward. The student pilot attempted to apply the brakes, but the airplane continued to move forward, striking the engine cowling of a parked Cessna 172 with its left wing tip, and the tail section of a parked Cessna 182 with its propeller. The student pilot then shut down the engine. Skid marks were found on the ramp adjacent to the airplane. No pre-impact mechanical deficiencies were found.
Factual narrative
On April 12, 1994, at 0822 hours eastern daylight time, N5962U, a Piper PA-28-140, operated by Mid Hudson Aviation Services, Milton, New York, was inadvertently taxied into two parked airplanes. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. No one on the ground was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to an FAA aviation safety inspector, the student pilot had just started the engine in order to taxi the airplane for refueling. He was preparing the airplane for the FAA Private Pilot Practical Examination. The airplane's engine "raced" and the "RPM was high" immediately following engine start. The student attempted to apply the brakes, but the airplane continued to move forward, striking the engine cowling of a parked Cessna 172 with its left wing tip. The airplane then spun around and struck the tail section of a parked Cessna 182 with its propeller. The student pilot then shut down the engine.
Skid marks were found on the ramp adjacent to the airplane. No pre-impact mechanical deficiencies were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5962U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-26864
- Airframe hours
- 4,110
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Mid Hudson Aviation Services
- Registered owner
- Mid Hudson Aviation Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 1, 1994 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- POU
- Destination
- POU · NY
- Airport
- POU · Dutchess County
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 132 total · 98 in this make and model · 33 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- POU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5962U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.