# NTSB GAA19CA312: Cessna 172, N273EB, Nogalas, AZ, May 23, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 23, 2019, 16:35 local (23:35 UTC) - Place: Nogalas, AZ - Coordinates: 31.417778, -110.847778 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.4178&lon=-110.8478&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 13, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - NTSB case key (mKey): 99548 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA312 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99548/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99548 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA312 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a parked fuel truck. Contributing to the accident were the student’s failure to follow company policy and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: ground equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022050): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022050/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022050/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of policy/procedure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 191 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-from runway: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 134 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Taxi: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that, after landing, he gave the controls to the student to let him taxi to the ramp. After entering the ramp, the student taxied the airplane toward an unoccupied parking spot. The instructor added that, per company policy, the student was taught to stop the airplane perpendicular to the landing spot, shut down the engine, and use the tow bar to back the airplane into the unoccupied spot. As the student passed a parked fuel truck adjacent the parking spot, he made a left turn and started maneuvering the airplane into the parking spot instead of following company policy. During the left turn, the instructor saw that the left wingtip was getting close to the truck, so he applied brakes and told the student to stop the airplane, but the left wing struck the truck. The student reported that he did not follow company policy. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing spar. The chief flight 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 landing, he gave the controls to the student to let him taxi to the ramp. After entering the ramp, the student taxied the airplane towards an unoccupied parking spot. The instructor added that the student was taught to stop the airplane perpendicular to the landing spot, shut down the engine, and use the tow bar to back the airplane into the unoccupied spot, per company policy. The instructor further reported that as the student passed a parked fuel truck adjacent the parking spot, he maneuvered the airplane into the parking spot instead of following company policy and during the left turn, the instructor saw that the left-wing tip was getting close to the truck, so he applied brakes and told the student to stop the airplane, but the airplane's left wing struck the truck. The student reported that he did not follow company policy. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing spar. The chief flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N273EB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N273EB), registered now, S/N 17271018, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (N) - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17271018 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 11391.2 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Westwind School of Aeronautics Phoenix LLC - Registered owner: Westwind School of Aeronautics Phoenix LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 21, 2019 - Departed: DVT, Phoenix, AZ - Destination: OLS, Nogales, AZ - Airport: OLS, Nogales Intl - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 32; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 3, 2019; seat: right; flight hours: 336 total, 270 in this make and model, 201 as pilot in command, 53 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 32; injuries: none; student; medical: unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 258 total, 248 in this make and model, 119 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 41 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 18 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KOLS ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190523005079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190523005079A), May 23, 2019: Cessna 172N, Nogales, AZ, Substantial damage. [privacy data omitted] Explained the event that took place. [privacy data omitted] Added that once the airplane had entered the FBO ramp from the north, the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99548. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479821&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479822&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Flight Instructor (item 3, .PDF, 60 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479823&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Flight%20Instructor-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Student (item 4, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479824&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Student-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.