# NTSB ERA25LA138: Cessna 172I, N35411, Knoxville, TN, March 3, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 3, 2025, 17:10 local (22:10 UTC) - Place: Knoxville, TN · On Airport - Coordinates: 35.885638, -83.957684 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8856&lon=-83.9577&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 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): 199817 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA138 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199817/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199817 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA138 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a truck while taxiing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172I, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=2072426), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: ground vehicle](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022025): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172I, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022025/cases.md?model=2072426), [All aircraft, 132 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172I, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=2072426), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis While taxiing out for a solo flight, the student pilot misjudged his wingtip clearance with a parked truck. The airplane initially made contact with the outboard 2 ft of the right wing, then pivoted about 90° to the right while tipping to the left and contacting the ground with the propeller and left wingtip before coming to rest. The student pilot was not injured, but the airplane was substantially damaged. According to the student pilot, he was taxiing at 10 to 15 mph, when the right wing impacted the truck. He stated that “It was completely an act of my misjudgment” and that next time, he would not only proceed with more space than necessary, but he would use the most extreme caution “slowing down to a snail’s pace.” ## Aircraft - Registration: [N35411](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N35411), registered now, S/N 17256755, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172I - Registry model: [Cessna 172I](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172i) (registry code 2072426) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17256755 - Year built: 1968 - Airframe hours: 9416.2 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: East Tennessee Pilots Club Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, September 21, 2024 - Departed: TN98, Knoxville, TN - Destination: TN98, Knoxville, TN - Airport: TN98, Sky Ranch, runway 01/19, 2,100 × 150 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 13.4 total, 13.4 in this make and model, 1.1 as pilot in command, 13.4 in the last 90 days, 0.7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: KTYS, 4 nm away - METAR: METAR KTYS 031853Z 28007KT 10SM FEW250 13/M12 A3019 RMK AO2 SLP226 T01281117= ## 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 20250303001289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250303001289A), Mar 3, 2025: Cessna 172I, Knoxville, TN, Substantial damage. Student pilot was taxiing aircraft from the north side of the airport (TN98) to the south side of the airport for a northern departure student solo flight.… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 17, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199817. 24.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 5.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18906634&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20(Signed)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 166 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18906354&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 19 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18906561&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 164 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18905729&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%20-%20Information%20Provide%20Inspector%20by%20Jon%20D%20Griswold%20(FAA)-Rel.pdf - Security camera video (item 5, MOV, 16.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18905739&FileExtension=mov&FileName=Video-Rel.mov 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.