- Date
- June 2, 2018, 11:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Fuquay Varina, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N1305BCessna 172
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180602006949A
- Case key
- 97398
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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from overgrown brush during taxi, which resulted in entanglement with the brush and a subsequent impact with a tree.
Findings · 3
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 flight instructor reported that, after demonstrating a simulated emergency landing, he taxied the airplane off the runway and prepared to back taxi for departure. While taxiing, the instructor and student monitored the right-wing tip clearance to the overgrown brush on the right side of the runway, but the right wing became entangled, and the airplane veered right. The instructor added left rudder and brake, but the airplane impacted a ditch. Postaccident examination revealed that the right wing struck a tree and sustained substantial damage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, after demonstrating a simulated emergency landing, he taxied the airplane off the runway and prepared to back taxi for departure. While taxiing, the instructor and student monitored the right-wing tip clearance to the overgrown brush on the right side of the runway, but the right-wing became entangled and the airplane veered to the right. The instructor added left rudder and brake, but the airplane impacted a ditch. Postaccident examination revealed that the right wing struck a tree and sustained substantial damage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The instructor added in a postaccident interview that the airport did not have pavement markings, so he used a pavement crack down the middle of the taxiway as a reference. He added that the entangled brush near the location the wing struck a tree appeared to be more overgrown than other areas along the taxiway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1305B
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S10654
- Built
- 2007
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- HRJ · Erwin, NC
- Destination
- 5W5 · Fuquay Varina, NC
- Airport
- 5W5 · Triple W, runway 34, 3,004 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 27, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 709 total · 176 in this make and model · 615 as pilot in command · 113 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KHRJ, 14 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.