- Date
- July 4, 2009, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Morristown, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N751DWCessna 172RG
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 74240
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's failure to maintain clearance from a parked aircraft during taxi operations.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
At the completion of a local instructional flight, the flight instructor taxied the airplane from the right seat, "on centerline," with the engine power at idle. As he taxied between two parked airplanes, he struck the airplane parked to his right, and damaged the right wing rib of his airplane. The parked airplane sustained minor damage. The instructor said that he "let his guard down" and that there was nothing wrong with the performance and handling of his airplane.
Factual narrative
At the completion of a local instructional flight, the flight instructor taxied the airplane from the right seat, "on centerline," with the engine power at idle. As he taxied between two parked airplanes, he struck the airplane parked to his right, and damaged the right wing rib of his airplane. The parked airplane sustained minor damage. The instructor said that he "let his guard down" and that there was nothing wrong with the performance and handling of his airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N751DW
- Reported as
- Cessna 172RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172RG1002
- Airframe hours
- 10,489
- Engine
- Lycoming O360 F1A6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Ameriflyers of Florida LLC, doing business as American Flyers
- Registered owner
- Ameriflyers of Florida LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 16, 2009 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- MGJ · Montgomery, NY
- Destination
- MMU · Morristown, NJ
- Airport
- MMU · Morristown Municipal Airport
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 22, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 450 total · 77 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command · 131 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- MMU
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 18, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 939 KB in all.
Other investigations on N751DW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.