ERA11LA100

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 · St. Thomas · December 13, 2010

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
December 13, 2010, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
Place
St. Thomas
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N1348LCessna 172
Defining event
Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 1, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20101213054219A
Case key
78074

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 an adequate visual lookout while taxiing.

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

The pilot was told that he had to reposition the airplane. While taxiing to an other area, he became fixated on staying clear of a jet on the ramp which had its engines running. He did not notice a white baggage cart that was parked on the ramp, and the airplane's left wing contacted the baggage cart, resulting in substantial damage.

Factual narrative

On December 13, 2010, at 1230 atlantic standard time, a Cessna 172S, N1348L, collided with a baggage cart while taxiing at the Cyril E. King Airport (STT), Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The airplane was registered to Flight World Inc., and operated by Isla Grande Flying School and Service Corporation under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (TUPJ), British Virgin Islands, about 1200. The pilot stated that he had flown three legs to deliver cargo to different islands. Prior to departing from TUPJ, he received a phone call from the chief pilot requesting that he fly to STT. The chief pilot stated that he had filed an international flight plan for the pilot, and customs was awaiting his arrival at STT. After landing at STT, while taxiing to the foreign arrivals customs area, he became fixated on staying clear of a jet on the ramp which had its engines running. He did not notice a white baggage cart which was parked on the ramp, and the airplane's left wing contacted the baggage cart, resulting in substantial damage.

Aircraft

Registration
N1348L
Reported as
Cessna 172 (S)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
172S9939
Airframe hours
906
Engine
Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 135
Operator
Isla Grande Flying School
Registered owner
Flight World, Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
TUPJ · Tortola
Destination
STT · St Thomas
Airport
STT · Cyril E King 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

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
38
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
June 2, 2010
Seat
Left
Flight hours
611 total · 402 in this make and model · 491 as pilot in command · 137 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
150° at 9 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 73 °F
Altimeter
29.82 inHg
Observed at
STT

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 659 KB 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.