- Date
- July 25, 2013, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Tell City, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N3012ECessna 172N
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Case key
- 87640
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 adequate clearance from an obstruction while taxiing.
Findings · 1
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 said he was taxing to the fuel pump after he landed when he turned his focus away from making sure the airplane's left wing was clear of the fuel dock. Consequently, the left wing struck the dock and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and the accident could have been prevented if he had paid better attention to the airplane's distance from the obstruction.
Factual narrative
The pilot said he was taxing to the fuel pump after he landed when he turned his focus away from making sure the airplane's left wing was clear of the fuel dock. Consequently, the left wing struck the dock and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and the accident could have been prevented if he had paid better attention to the airplane's distance from the obstruction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3012E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271402
- Airframe hours
- 1,857
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lawrence Keller
- Registered owner
- Lawrence Keller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 18, 2013
- Departed
- 14G · Fremont, OH
- Destination
- TEL · Tell City, IN
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- TEL · Perry County Municipal Airport
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 9, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 130 total · 130 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 26, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 MB in all.