# NTSB DFW08CA071: Cessna 172S, N53564, Austin, TX, February 6, 2008

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: February 6, 2008, 10:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place: Austin, TX
- Coordinates: 30.19, -97.668609
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.1900&lon=-97.6686&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Standing-engine(s) operating: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 31, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 67514
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW08CA071
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67514/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=67514
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08CA071

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while parked on the ramp with the engine running.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Object/animal/substance: aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified; cases with it: [All aircraft, 116 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Standing-engine(s) operating: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The commercial pilot/registered owner was standing on the ramp in his single-engine airplane with the engine running and the parking brake set.   As the pilot was preparing to taxi, he dropped something on the floor.  When he realized he could not reach the object, he moved his seat back so he could reach down to the floor.  At that point, he felt motion and realized that he could not reach the brake pedals.  Before the pilot could release his seatbelt and turn off the engine, the airplane struck two parked airplanes, resulting in minor damage to his airplane and one of the parked airplanes.  However, the other parked airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder, elevator, and horizontal stabilizer.

## Factual narrative

The commercial pilot/registered owner was standing on the ramp in his single-engine airplane with the engine running and the parking brake set.   As the pilot was preparing to taxi, he dropped something on the floor.  When he realized he could not reach the object, he moved his seat back so he could reach down to the floor.  At that point, he felt motion and realized that he could not reach the brake pedals.  Before the pilot could release his seatbelt and turn off the engine, the airplane struck two parked airplanes, resulting in minor damage to his airplane and one of the parked airplanes.  However, the other parked airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder, and horizontal stabilator.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N53564 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172S
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S9442
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Registered owner: Arnold Orange
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: AUS, Austin, TX
- Destination: Unknown
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: AUS, Austin Bergstrom International

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 72; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; flight hours: 1,099 total, 473 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

## 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 20080206010419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080206010419A), Feb 6, 2008: Cessna 172S, Austin, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated he had started engine of C-172S N53564 and was letting the engine warm while he checked ATIS and called clearance delivery. Pilot stated he…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 6, 2008, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=67514. 319 KB in all.

- Pilot Statement (item 1, .PDF, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40289772&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.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.