- Date
- October 15, 2008, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Van Wert, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N20745Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Taxi: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Columbus FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081015851479A
- Case key
- 69329
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 directional control of the airplane while taxiing on the wet grass.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was taxiing the airplane on the grass beside the runway when the airplane went into a ditch. The airplane's tail and propeller were damaged. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that the empennage had sustained substantial damage. The inspector reported that the airplane was taxiing on the grass parallel to closed runway 27. The grass was wet and the airplane was too close to the ditch when it slid into the ditch.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was taxiing the airplane on the grass beside the runway when the airplane went into a ditch. The airplane's tail and propeller were damaged. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that the empennage had sustained substantial damage. The inspector reported that the airplane was taxiing on the grass parallel to closed runway 27. The grass was wet and the airplane was too close to the ditch when it slid into the ditch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20745
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-63826
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Van Wert County Regional Authority
- Registered owner
- Van Wert County Regional Authority
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- VNW · Van Wert, OH
- Destination
- VNW · Van Wert, OH
- Airport
- VNW · Van Wert County Regional
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
- Age
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 21, 2008
- Flight hours
- 488 total · 2 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.