- Date
- October 4, 2005, 21:07 local (Oct 5, 2005, 02:07 UTC)
- Place
- Tupelo, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N94684Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Jakson, Mississippi FSDO
- FAA report
- 20051004024909A
- Case key
- 62658
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate visual lookout during taxi. Contributing factors were the dark night conditions, the unmarked light pole, and the lack of taxiway centerline markings at the parking area.
Analysis
The 54-hour private pilot landed at the airport at approximately 2100, under dark night conditions. The pilot reported that he began to look for taxiway centerline markings, but none were found. The pilot added that he then began looking for an aircraft marshaller while taxiing to the Fixed Base Operator parking area. The pilot did not see any aircraft marshaller present and elected to continue to taxi to a parking spot. While maneuvering the airplane near the parking area, the pilot initiated a left turn when he felt the right wing impact a solid object. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing impacted an unmarked black light pole near the parking area.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the NTSB. Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94684
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285763
- Airframe hours
- 9,553
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-N2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Delta State University
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2005 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- KRNV · Cleveland, MS
- Destination
- KTUP · Tupelo, MS
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KTUP · Tupelo Regional, runway 18, 6,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 19
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 54 total · 45 in this make and model · 19 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KTUP
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 N94684 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.