ERA13LA381

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172N · Miami, FL · August 26, 2013

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 26, 2013, 07:20 local (11:20 UTC)
Place
Miami, FL
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N5232DCessna 172N
Defining event
Taxi-to runway: Miscellaneous/other
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 7, 2015
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
FAA report
20130826017622A
Case key
87876

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 incapacitation due to a seizure during taxi.

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.

Impairment/incapacitation: other loss of consciousnessPersonnel issues › Physical · Student/instructed pilotCessna 172N: 1 caseAll aircraft: 21 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.

Analysis

The student pilot reported that the last thing he remembered regarding the accident sequence was taxiing the airplane to the ramp hold position and then contacting air traffic ground control. He stated that he then lost consciousness. He regained consciousness after his airplane collided with another airplane parked on the ramp. He reported that he had never lost consciousness before this event. A witness reported observing the pilot having a seizure while he was taxiing the airplane, and emergency responders reported that the pilot was confused and drowsy for a period of time following the event, consistent with the pilot having experienced a seizure. The pilot did not have any waivers or limitations on his medical certificate.

Factual narrative

On August 26, 2013, about 0720 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N5232D, collided with a parked airplane after the pilot reported that he lost consciousness while taxiing at the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport (TMB), Miami, Florida. The student pilot was not injured and airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was registered to Three Seas Aviation LLC., and operated by ADF Airways under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a training flight. The pilot stated that prior to the accident he was fully rested and performed a preflight inspection of airplane. He then taxied to the ramp hold position and contacted air traffic ground control for taxi instructions and that was the last thing he remembered. He lost consciousness and regained consciousness after his airplane collided with another airplane on the ramp. The pilot stated that he did not know why he lost consciousness and that it had never happened to him before. He went on to say that he never had any history of seizures, fainting or losing of consciousness before this event. An examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane collided with the left engine of parked airplane. The accident airplane's engine mount and firewall were buckled. A review of the pilot's most recent medical evaluation dated May 8, 2013, for his third class medical certificate revealed that the pilot was in good health. After the accident the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Aerospace Medicine denied his application until further review. A review of the student pilot's medical file revealed that the 18 year old held a third class medical certificate dated May 8, 2013. Further review of the student pilot's medical file revealed that the student pilot did not have any waivers or limitations. The student pilot was observed to have a grand mal seizure while taxiing. He was noted to be postictal (an altered state of consciousness occurring after a seizure characterized by drowsiness and confusion) when evaluated by emergency medical service. Work up thus far has included an emergency room visit with a normal head computed tomography and normal electrolytes.

Aircraft

Registration
N5232D
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Category
Airplane
Serial number
680143
Built
1979
Airframe hours
7,912
Engine
Lycoming O-320-D2J, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
ADF Airways
Registered owner
Three Seas AviationLLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · August 10, 2013 · 144 hours before
Departed
TMB · Miami, FL
Destination
TMB · Miami, FL
Airport
TMB · Kendall-Tamiami Airport
Equipment
Stall warning system

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
Student pilot
Age
18
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
40 total · 40 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
50° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 73 °F
Altimeter
30.05 inHg
Observed at
TMB

Docket · 8

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.9 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.