ERA12LA066

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172S · Fort Lauderdale, FL · November 3, 2011

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
November 3, 2011, 13:49 local (17:49 UTC)
Place
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Injuries
5 uninjured
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N1855YCessna 172SN2182FCessna 182T
Defining events
Taxi: Ground collisionStanding-engine(s) operating: Ground collision
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 18, 2012
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20111103026161A
Case key
82267

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 Cessna 172 flight instructor and student pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from the stationary Cessna 182.

Findings · 2

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.

N1855Y · Cessna 172S

Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraftPersonnel issues › Psychological · Flight crewCessna 172S: 12 casesAll aircraft: 231 casesProbable cause

N2182F · Cessna 182T

Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraftPersonnel issues › Psychological · Pilot of other aircraftCessna 182T: 2 casesAll aircraft: 231 casesProbable cause

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.

N2182F · Cessna 182T

Ground collisionStanding-engine(s) operatingCessna 182T: 4 casesAll aircraft: 618 casesDefining event

Analysis

The Cessna 182 pilot started the engine, moved the airplane forward about 5 feet to test the brakes, and then stopped. The Cessna 172 student pilot was taxiing to a tie-down spot and taxied in front of the Cessna 182. The flight instructor in the Cessna 172 verified that the student taxiing the airplane stayed on the centerline of the taxiway and maintained right wingtip clearance. As the Cessna 172 taxied past the stationary Cessna 182, the outboard section of the left wing impacted the propeller of the Cessna 182, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing.

Factual narrative

On November 3, 2011, at 1349 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N1855Y, was substantially damaged when it struck a stationary Cessna 182T, N2182F, while taxiing at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The certificated flight instructor and student pilot of the Cessna 172, and the certificated private pilot, flight instructor, and passenger of the Cessna 182, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Neither the Cessna 172 pilots nor the Cessna 182 pilots filed flight plans for the instructional flights, which were conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who inspected both airplanes after the accident, the Cessna 182 pilot started the engine, moved the airplane forward about five feet when testing the brakes, and then stopped. The Cessna 172 pilot was taxiing to a tie-down spot and taxied in front on the Cessna 182. According to the flight instructor of the Cessna 172, he verified that the student taxiing the airplane stayed on the centerline of the taxiway and maintained right wingtip clearance. As the Cessna 172 taxied past the stationary Cessna 182, the outboard section of left wing impacted the propeller of the Cessna 182 causing substantial damage to the wing. All occupants of the airplanes exited without incident. The operator of both airplanes reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation. According to the operator, the flight instructor of the Cessna 172 held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and multiengine land, an instrument rating, as well as a flight instructor certificate for airplane single-engine and instrument airplane. He noted that his total flight experience was approximately 295 hours; of which, about 261 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on September 22, 2011. According to the operator, the student pilot of the Cessna 172 held a student pilot certificate. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued July 28, 2011. He noted that the student had 35 total hours of flight experience, all in the same make and model as the accident airplane. According to the operator, the flight instructor of the Cessna 182 held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and multiengine land, an instrument rating, as well as a flight instructor certificate for airplane single-engine and instrument airplane. He noted that his total flight experience was approximately 619 hours; of which, about 7 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on September 22, 2011. According to the operator, the pilot of the Cessna 182 held aforeign private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued May 4, 2010. The operator noted that the pilot had 190 total hours of flight experience, of which 24 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. FAA records indicated that the Cessna 172 was manufactured in 2005, and its registration certificate was issued in 2011. It was equipped with a 180-horsepower, Lycoming IO-360 series engine. The airplane was a four-place, single-engine, high-wing, cantilever monoplane that was equipped with fixed tricycle-type landing gear. According to the operator, the airplane had accumulated approximately 2,231 total hours and the most recent 100-hour inspection was on October 14, 2011. FAA records indicated that the Cessna 182 was manufactured in 2004, and its registration certificate was issued in 2004. It was equipped with a 230 horsepower, Lycoming IO-540 series engine. The airplane was a four-place, high-wing, single-engine, cantilever monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear. According to the operator, the airplane had accumulated approximately 2,700 total hours and the most recent 100-hour inspection was on June 24, 2011. Weather conditions reported at FXE, at 1453, included winds from 090 degrees at 12 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, temperature 26 degrees C, dewpoint 17 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N1855Y
Reported as
Cessna 172S
Category
Airplane
Serial number
172S9924
Airframe hours
2,231
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Airborne Systems
Registered owner
Upper Bucks Aviation Leasing LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Last inspection
100 hour · October 14, 2011
Departed
FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
Destination
FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
Airport
FXE · Fort Lauderdale Executive

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.

Registration
N2182F
Reported as
Cessna 182T
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18281340
Airframe hours
2,700
Engine
Lycoming IO-540 SER, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Airborne Systems
Registered owner
Procairis Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · June 24, 2011
Departed
FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
Destination
FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
Airport
FXE · Fort Lauderdale Executive

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 · 4

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor, aircraft N1855Y
Age
25
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
August 22, 2011
Seat
Right
Flight hours
295 total · 261 in this make and model · 206 as pilot in command · 79 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot, aircraft N1855Y
Age
24
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
35 total · 35 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot, aircraft N2182F
Age
48
Injuries
None
Certificates
Private, Foreign
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Unknown
Last flight review
October 14, 2011
Seat
Left
Flight hours
190 total · 24 in this make and model
Role
Flight instructor, aircraft N2182F
Age
32
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 29, 2011
Seat
Right
Flight hours
619 total · 7 in this make and model · 528 as pilot in command · 59 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
70° at 14 knots, gusting 20
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
FXE

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.6 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.