# NTSB CHI97LA298: Cessna 172G, N4375L, Chicago, IL, September 22, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 21, 1997, 19:10 local (Sep 22, 1997, 00:10 UTC) - Place: Chicago, IL - Location: 41.9769° N, 87.9081° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CHICAGO O'HARE INTL (ORD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9769&lon=-87.9081&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 10706 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI97LA298 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10706/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA298 ## Probable cause the pilot's selection of the wrong taxi route (service road) and not maintaining clearance between his airplane's wing and a bus. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing - wrong taxi route - selected, pilot in command (cause) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - vehicle ## Analysis After landing, the pilot was instructed to turn onto a specific taxiway. The pilot turned onto a service road an airline crew bus was using. Shortly after turning, the airplane's left wingtip collided with the left rear side window of the bus. According to the pilot, the bus had turned to its right as the airplane approached it. The on-scene investigation revealed a bent and cracked rear wing spar and buckled upper wing skin aft of the left wing fuel tank. ## Factual narrative On September 21, 1997, at 1910 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 172G, N4375L, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when its left wingtip struck the side window of an airline crew bus while taxiing at O Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois. There were no passengers on the crew bus. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The bus driver reported minor injuries. The flight departed Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois, at 1835 cdt. According to the pilot's written statement, he "...was taxiing past [an] American Airlines bus near A-18 and D taxiways." The pilot said the airplane "...was almost completely past [the] stationary 40' bus when the driver moved it... ." He said the left rear section of thebus struck the airplane's left wingtip. The on-scene investigation revealed the airplane had landed on runway 22R. After exiting the runway, the pilot was instructed to turn onto taxiway A-17. The pilot turned the airplane onto a service road the airline crew bus was using. Shortly after turning, the airplane's left wingtip struck the left rear side window of the crew bus as it was turning to the right. Inspection of N4375L revealed its left wing rear spar was bent aft and cracked about 18-inches out from the wing root. The left wing tip had separated from the wing. The upper wing skin was buckled aft of the left wing main fuel tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4375L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4375L-2016-07-26), registration cancelled 2016-07-26, S/N 17254452, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172G - Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17254452 - Airframe hours: 2600 - Engines: Continental O-300 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jefferson Flyng Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 30, 1997, 30 hours before - Departed: MDW, IL - Destination: ORD - Airport: ORD, O'Hare Intl ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 540 total, 450 in this make and model, 476 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 200° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ORD, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970921027699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970921027699A), Sep 21, 1997: Cessna 172G, Chicago, IL, Substantial damage. Wing tip hit window of crew bus when pilot turned by mistake onto a service road after landing.(.4) after landing, the pilot was instructed to turn onto a… 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.