# NTSB FTW04CA245: Cessna 172H, N189W, Houston, TX, September 28, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 28, 2004, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.818332, -95.676666 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8183&lon=-95.6767&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 60235 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW04CA245 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60235/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04CA245 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a parked aircraft while taxiing. A contributing factor was the student pilot's anxiety attack. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Collision between aircraft (other than midair), taxi - from landing - anxiety/apprehension, pilot in command (contributing factor) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The 52-hour student pilot reported that while taxiing to the parking area after landing, he heard a "loud bang on the left side of the airplane" as the airplane moved to the left. After powering down the airplane, the student pilot exited the airplane and realized the left wing struck a parked aircraft. The student pilot added that he was on his first solo cross-country flight and became overwhelmed with anxiety. The student pilot eventually became lost and decided to land at the first available airport. ## Factual narrative On September 28, 2004, approximately 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 172H single-engine airplane, N189W, sustained substantial damage following an on ground collision with a parked airplane while taxing after landing at the West Houston Airport (IWS), near Houston, Texas. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Windsock Aviation Inc., of College Station, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 91 instructional flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Easterwood Field Airport (CLL), near College Station, Texas, at approximately 1200, with the intended destination of Weiser Air Park (EYQ), near Houston, Texas. The 52-hour student pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that while on his first solo cross-country flight from EYQ to CLL, he became overwhelmed with anxiety and wasn't sure where he was. After locating an airport nearby, he decided to land. While taxiing to the parking area after landing at IWS, he heard a "loud bang on the left side of the airplane" as the airplane suddenly moved to the left. After powering down the airplane, the student pilot exited the airplane and realized the left wing struck a parked Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. Examination of the airplane by an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed that the left wing spar was bent and the outboard leading edge of the left wing, aileron, and flap were structurally damaged. Examination of airplane that was parked revealed it sustained minor damage to the engine. At 1253, the automated surface observing system at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), near Houston, Texas, located 19 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, reported wind variable at 3 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 13,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet, temperature 88 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.02 inches of Mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N189W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N189W), registered now, S/N 17255907, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172H - Registry model: [Cessna 172H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172h) (registry code 2072424) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17255907 - Airframe hours: 4091.7 - Engines: Continental O-300D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Windsock Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 26, 2004, 39.2 hours before - Departed: CLL, College Station, TX - Destination: EYQ, Houston, TX - Airport: IWS, West Houston Airport, runway 33, 3,953 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 25; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 52 total, 52 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command, 52 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: IAH, 19 nm away ## 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 20040928022499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040928022499A), Sep 28, 2004: Cessna 172H, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) The student pilot in the Cessna was returning to the eyq airport on his first solo cross country flight and said his "anxiety level was maxed out"… 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.