- Date
- October 17, 2002, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Neenah, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N46459Cessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Milwaukee FSDO
- FAA report
- 20021017033689A
- Case key
- 55980
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 failed to maintain clearance from the post. Factors included the post and the sun glare.
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 airplane sustained substantial damage when the right wing impacted a metal fuel tank guardrail during taxi for takeoff. The pilot reported that while he was taxiing from his hangar, the airplane's right wing hit a post next to the fuel depot. He reported that the late afternoon sun was a factor.
Factual narrative
On October 17, 2002, at 1630 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N46459, sustained substantial damage when the right wing impacted a metal fuel tank guardrail during taxi for takeoff. The private pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was departing Brennard Airport (C79), a private airport near Neenah, Wisconsin, on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that while he was taxiing from his hangar, the airplane's right wing hit a post next to the fuel depot. He reported that the late afternoon sun was a factor.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46459
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17257282
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerry Sherwood
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 2002 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- C79 · Neenah, WI
- Airport
- 79C · Brennard
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 605 total · 375 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- ATW, 10 nm away
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 N46459 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.