- Date
- July 29, 2016, 16:17 local (20:17 UTC)
- Place
- Morristown, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N5322PCessna 172
- Defining event
- Taxi: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160729011729A
- Case key
- 93721
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 failure to maintain a safe taxi distance from a large turbine-powered airplane, resulting in an encounter of the turbine-powered airplane's jet blast while taxiing.
Findings · 2
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.
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 pilot of a light single-engine airplane reported that while on a taxiway under air traffic control (ATC) instruction the airplane encountered jet blast, originating from a larger turbine-powered airplane being marshaled by ground personnel. Subsequently, the airplane's empennage lifted and the propeller and left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Aeronautical Information Manual in part states: "During ground operations and during takeoff, jet engine blast (thrust stream turbulence) can cause damage and upsets if encountered at close range. Exhaust velocity versus distance studies at various thrust levels have shown a need for light aircraft to maintain an adequate separation behind large turbojet aircraft. Pilots of larger aircraft should be particularly careful to consider the effects of their "jet blast" on other aircraft, vehicles, and maintenance equipment during ground operations."
Factual narrative
The pilot of a light single-engine airplane reported that while on a taxiway under air traffic control (ATC) instruction the airplane encountered jet blast, originating from a larger turbine-powered airplane being marshaled by ground personnel. Subsequently, the airplane's empennage lifted and the propeller and left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Aeronautical Information Manual in part states: "During ground operations and during takeoff, jet engine blast (thrust stream turbulence) can cause damage and upsets if encountered at close range. Exhaust velocity versus distance studies at various thrust levels have shown a need for light aircraft to maintain an adequate separation behind large turbojet aircraft. Pilots of larger aircraft should be particularly careful to consider the effects of their "jet blast" on other aircraft, vehicles, and maintenance equipment during ground operations."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5322P
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9312
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 4,646.2
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 30, 2016
- Departed
- MMU · Morristown, NJ
- Destination
- TEB · Teterboro, NJ
- Airport
- MMU · Morristown Muni, runway 05, 5,998 × 150 ft, asphalt
- 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 24, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,670 total · 1,100 in this make and model · 1,480 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 3.7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- KMMU
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 6, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 805 KB 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.