# NTSB CEN23LA198: Textron 172S, N49RH, Wichita, KS, May 23, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 23, 2023, 13:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: Wichita, KS - Coordinates: 37.755963, -97.221403 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7560&lon=-97.2214&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 192227 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA198 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192227/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192227 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA198 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain a safe taxi distance from a turbine-powered airplane, resulting in an encounter of the turbine-powered airplane’s jet blast while taxiing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Textron 172S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072449), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Towing and taxiing: taxiing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010920): Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Textron 172S, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010920/cases.md?model=2072449), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01010920/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Textron 172S, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072449), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Communication (personnel): accuracy of communication](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063515): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Textron 172S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063515/cases.md?model=2072449), [All aircraft, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063515/cases.md) - [Communication (personnel): interpretation/understanding](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063530): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Textron 172S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063530/cases.md?model=2072449), [All aircraft, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063530/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082) (defining event); cases with it: [Textron 172S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082/sequence.md?model=2072449), [All aircraft, 44 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that, during taxi on taxiway A1 in a Cessna 172, a nearby turbine-powered Embraer Phenom airplane parked in the run-up area for taxiway blocked his path to the runway. After completing his pre-takeoff checklist, the student pilot radioed the Phenom crew and asked “if [he] could proceed and sneak behind them to the runway”. The Phenom crew replied, “that should be fine” and the pilot then proceeded to taxi behind the Phenom. As the Cessna taxied behind the Phenom, the jet blast lifted the airplane onto its propeller and left wing which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The Phenom maintenance crew reported they were conducting a high-power engine run and did not know that an airplane was trying to taxi behind them on taxiway A1. During the student pilot’s initial radio call, a turbine powered Beechjet airplane was taxiing the opposite direction on the taxiway and because the student pilot of the accident airplane did not identify himself with the airplane’s callsign, the maintenance crew assumed the radio call came from the Beechjet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N49RH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N49RH), registered now, S/N 172S12932 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TEXTRON AVIATION INC 172S - Registry model: [Textron 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/textron-172s) (registry code 2072449) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S12932 - Year built: 2023 - Airframe hours: 241 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, doing business as WSU Tech - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 5, 2023 - Departed: KAAO, Wichita, KS - Destination: KNVD, Nevada, MO - Airport: KAAO, Col. James Jabara - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 96 total, 96 in this make and model, 43 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: KAAO - METAR: METAR KAAO 231854Z AUTO 11007KT 10SM BKN060 26/12 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP160 T02610117= ## 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 20230523004179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230523004179A), May 23, 2023: Textron Aviation Inc 172S, Wichita, KS, Substantial damage. On may 23, 2023, PIC was taxiing in the runup area for takeoff. PIC taxied behind a jet while they were running up the engines. Turbulence from the engines… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192227. 8.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15703502&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15703906&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Surveillance camera recording (item 3, MP4, 5.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15702689&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=2023-05-23_1344-Rel.mp4 - Witness statements - phenom maintenace crew (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 262 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15805979&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Hazrep%20MX%20AAO%20Event%20052423_Redacted-Rel.pdf 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.