- Date
- August 23, 2016, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Williamsport, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N9480ECessna 172
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160823016309A
- Case key
- 93885
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 student pilot's distraction during taxi operations, which resulted in the airplane's left wing impacting a hangar.
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 solo student pilot reported that after he had landed he taxied to get fuel. He was waved around behind two parked airplanes. After he passed the first airplane, the left wing of the airplane impacted a hanger. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that this accident could have been prevented if he had remained focused "on the task of taxiing the airplane, rather than looking at the person/parking spot".
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that after he had landed he taxied to get fuel. He was waved around behind two parked airplanes. After he passed the first airplane, the left wing of the airplane impacted a hanger. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that this accident could have been prevented if he had remained focused "on the task of taxiing the airplane, rather than looking at the person/parking spot".
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9480E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272277
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 9,255
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 12, 2016
- Departed
- LNS · Lancaster, PA
- Destination
- IPT · Williamsport, PA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- IPT · Williamsport Rgnl
- Equipment
- None
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 25
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 43.5 total · 43.5 in this make and model · 4.6 as pilot in command · 43.5 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- KIPT
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 25, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB 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.