- Date
- June 19, 2011, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- North Adams, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N12477Cessna 172M
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110619011689A
- Case key
- 80931
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 inadequate visual lookout and subsequent failure to maintain clearance from a light pole while taxiing.
Findings · 3
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
After landing at an airport, the pilot taxied to the fixed base operator in order to park the airplane. He was advised to park in the first space near the grass, but was unsure of the location of that space. The pilot taxied to the area where he thought he was supposed to park. He then turned the airplane toward his intended parking space and the right wing made contact with a light pole and was substantially damaged. The pilot was uninjured and reported that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies of the airplane.
Factual narrative
After landing at an airport, the pilot taxied to the fixed based operator in order to park the airplane. He was advised to park in the first space near the grass, but was unsure which space that was. The pilot taxied to the area where he thought he was supposed to park. He then turned the airplane toward his intended parking space and the right wing made contact with a light pole and was substantially damaged. The pilot was uninjured and reported that there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N12477
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17262005
- Airframe hours
- 7,647
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- South Mountain Flying Club Inc
- Registered owner
- South Mountain Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 2011
- Departed
- 1B1 · Hudson, NY
- Destination
- AQW · North Adams, MA
- Airport
- AQW · Harriman-and-West Airport, runway 29, 4,300 × 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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 10, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 249 total · 201 in this make and model · 182 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- AQW
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 22, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.