- Date
- June 28, 1997, 15:05 local (20:05 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Worth, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N53795Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970628044479A
- Case key
- 20265
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
improper planning/decision by the flight instructor (CFI), which resulted in his inadvertent encounter with jet blast from a twin jet transport airplane.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to a flight instructor (CFI), he taxied a Cessna (N53795) northbound on taxiway A, behind a twin jet transport airplane to takeoff on runway 16L. The twin jet transport airplane turned west and stopped at the hold short line for runway 16L. The CFI stated that he proceeded to taxi behind the jet towards the run up pad. As the Cessna was passing behind the jet, the jet was cleared to takeoff. The CFI further stated that when the 'jet increased [its] throttles, the blast from the added exhaust caught Cessna 795 broadside and tipped it over onto its right wing tip and nose.' The CFI stated that when the 'exhaust blast dissipated, Cessna 795 righted itself.' The pilot shut down the airplane, and evacuated the plane along with the student pilot.
Factual narrative
On June 28, 1997, approximately 1505 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N53795, was substantially damaged while taxiing behind a Canadair RJ twin jet transport airplane at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport near Fort Worth, Texas. The certified flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to ATE of New York, Inc. and operated by American Flyers, Inc. as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional dual flight. No flight plan had been filed.
According to the flight instructor, he taxied northbound for departure on runway 16L via taxiway A. The Canadair RJ turned west and stopped at the hold short line for runway 16L. The flight instructor stated that he proceeded to taxi behind the twin jet transport towards the run up pad. While transitioning behind the twin jet transport, the jet was cleared to takeoff. The instructor pilot further stated that when the "jet increased [its] throttles, the blast from the added exhaust caught Cessna 795 broadside and tipped it over onto the right wing tip and nose."
The instructor pilot stated that when the "exhaust blast dissipated, Cessna 795 righted itself." The instructor pilot completed shut down procedures and evacuated the airplane with the student pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53795
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274817
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ate Of New Yourk Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- FTW
- Airport
- FTW · Fort Worth Meacham Intl, runway 16L, 7,501 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 355 total · 256 in this make and model · 290 as pilot in command · 128 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 1 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FTW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N53795 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.