# NTSB ERA21LA302: Cessna 172, N472SP, Brooksville, FL, July 22, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 21, 2021, 20:15 local (Jul 22, 2021, 00:15 UTC)
- Place: Brooksville, FL
- Coordinates: 28.474564, -82.441993 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4746&lon=-82.4420&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Taxi-from runway: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103561
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA302
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103561/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103561
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA302

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate distance between the airplane and hangar, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: heading/course](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062047): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062047/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 82 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062047/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi-from runway: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)

## Analysis

After landing the pilot was taxiing the airplane back to the fixed based operator hangar. As the airplane approached the hangar, he noticed the hangar door open and attempted to align the airplane in front of the open door, but “misjudged the distance” from the wingtip to the hangar and impacted the hangar with the right wing. Subsequently, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing rear spar. The pilot reported that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N472SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N472SP), registered now, S/N 172S8017, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (S)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S8017
- Year built: 1998
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: American Aviation Inc
- Registered owner: American Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Unknown
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: BKV, Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 23; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 18, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 56.7 total, 56.7 in this make and model, 19 as pilot in command, 33.8 in the last 90 days, 13.7 in the last 30 days, 1.1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: BKV, 1 nm away
- METAR: KBKV 220053Z 27004KT 10SM CLR 27/23 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP190 T02720228

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20210721011339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210721011339A), Jul 21, 2021: Cessna 172S, Brooksville, FL, Substantial damage. On July 21, 2021, at approximately 20:15 EST, N472SP, a Cessna C-172-S, s/n 172S8017, [privacy data omitted] contacted an aircraft hangar on the ramp while…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 29, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103561. 4.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 8 pages, 4.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12986401&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12985123&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 179 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12986216&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs%20-%20ERA21LA302-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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