GAA19CA190

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 · Hollywood, FL · March 21, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
March 21, 2019, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
Place
Hollywood, FL
Injuries
3 uninjured
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N20521Cessna 172N704VMCessna 150
Defining events
Taxi-from runway: Ground collisionStanding-engine(s) operating: Ground collision
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 6, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
Case key
99208

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 other pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the stopped airplane while attempting to taxi around it.

The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the stopped airplane while attempting to taxi around it.

Findings · 4

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.

N20521 · Cessna 172

Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraftPersonnel issues › Psychological · Student/instructed pilotCessna 172M: 8 casesAll aircraft: 231 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: aircraftEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationCessna 172M: 5 casesAll aircraft: 116 casesProbable cause

N704VM · Cessna 150

Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraftPersonnel issues › Psychological · Pilot of other aircraftCessna 150M: 4 casesAll aircraft: 231 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: aircraftEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationCessna 150M: 1 caseAll aircraft: 116 casesProbable cause

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.

N20521 · Cessna 172

N704VM · Cessna 150

Ground collisionStanding-engine(s) operatingCessna 150M: 4 casesAll aircraft: 618 casesDefining event

Analysis

The student pilot reported that, after landing, she and the flight instructor requested to taxi back to the runway for traffic pattern practice. They were instructed to taxi to the runway at a taxiway intersection. They complied and lined up behind another aircraft holding short of the runway. She added that, while stopped and waiting for a takeoff clearance, she felt the airplane shake. She turned around and saw that another airplane had struck their airplane's vertical stabilizer and rudder. The solo student pilot in the other airplane reported that, after landing, during taxi from the runway to parking, he saw an airplane holding short of the runway at a taxiway intersection. He thought there was enough clearance to taxi around the airplane, but his airplane's left wing struck the stopped airplane. The stopped airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The student pilot of the stopped airplane and the flight school manager for the taxiing airplane reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with either of the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.

The student pilot reported that, after landing, she and the flight instructor requested to taxi back to the runway for traffic pattern practice. They were instructed to taxi to the runway at a taxiway intersection. They complied and lined up behind another aircraft holding short of the runway. She added that, while stopped and waiting for a takeoff clearance, she felt the airplane shake. She turned around and saw that another airplane had struck their airplane's vertical stabilizer and rudder. The solo student pilot in the other airplane reported that, after landing, during taxi from the runway to parking, he saw an airplane holding short of the runway at a taxiway intersection. He thought there was enough clearance to taxi around the airplane, but his airplane's left wing struck the stopped airplane. The stopped airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The student pilot of the stopped airplane and the flight school manager for the taxiing airplane reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with either of the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that, after landing, she and the flight instructor requested to taxi back to the runway for traffic pattern practice. They were instructed to taxi to the runway at a taxiway intersection. They complied and lined up behind another aircraft holding short of the runway. She added that, while stopped and waiting for a takeoff clearance, she felt the airplane shake. She turned around and saw that another airplane struck their vertical stabilizer and rudder. The solo student pilot reported that, after landing, during taxi from the runway to parking, he saw an airplane holding short of the runway at a taxiway intersection. He thought there was enough clearance to taxi around the airplane, but his left wing struck the stopped airplane. The stopped airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The student pilot of the stopped airplane and the flight school manager for the taxiing airplane reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with either of the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.

The student pilot reported that, after landing, she and the flight instructor requested to taxi back to the runway for traffic pattern practice. They were instructed to taxi to the runway at a taxiway intersection. They complied and lined up behind another aircraft holding short of the runway. She added that, while stopped and waiting for a takeoff clearance, she felt the airplane shake. She turned around and saw that another airplane struck their vertical stabilizer and rudder. The solo student pilot reported that, after landing, during taxi from the runway to parking, he saw an airplane holding short of the runway at a taxiway intersection. He thought there was enough clearance to taxi around the airplane, but his left wing struck the stopped airplane. The stopped airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The student pilot of the stopped airplane and the flight school manager for the taxiing airplane reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with either of the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N20521
Reported as
Cessna 172 (M)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17261359
Built
1973
Airframe hours
17,819.6
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Minor damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Atlantis Flight Academy Inc
Registered owner
Atlantis Flight Academy Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · February 28, 2019
Departed
HWO · Hollywood, FL
Destination
HWO · Hollywood, FL
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
HWO · North Perry
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.

Registration
N704VM
Reported as
Cessna 150 (M)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15078909
Built
1976
Airframe hours
6,911.4
Engine
Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Last inspection
Annual · September 7, 2018
Departed
HWO · Hollywood, FL
Destination
HWO · Hollywood, FL
Airport
HWO · North Perry
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 · 3

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Student pilot, aircraft N20521
Age
19
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
26.3 total · 26.3 in this make and model · 26.3 in the last 90 days · 11.1 in the last 30 days · 1.3 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot, aircraft N704VM
Age
26
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
63 total · 61.5 in this make and model · 31.1 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 18.3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Role
Flight instructor, aircraft N704VM
Age
70
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 1, 2017
Seat
Right
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
3,600 total · 400 in this make and model · 3,100 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
350° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 63 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
KHWO

Docket · 5

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 25, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 21.6 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 2

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.