- Date
- June 11, 2019, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi-to runway: Airport occurrenceTaxi: Airport occurrence
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA reports
- 20190611006592A20190611006652A
- Case key
- 99643
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 passing pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the airplane that he was attempting to pass during taxi operations. Contributing to the accident was the passing pilot's distraction due to looking at his on-board navigation device while attempting to pass the other airplane.
The passing pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the airplane that he was attempting to pass during taxi operations. Contributing to the accident was the passing pilot's distraction due to looking at his on-board navigation device while attempting to pass the other airplane.
Findings · 6
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.
N152TR · Cessna 152
N6132Q · Cessna 152
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.
N152TR · Cessna 152
Analysis
According to a flight school representative, two solo, pilot-rated students were performing pilot-in-command, skills-building training flights. The pilots were taxiing their airplanes to the runway when the pilot in the lead airplane pulled to the right side of the taxiway to allow the pilot in the other airplane to pass. The pilot of the passing airplane was looking at his onboard navigation device as he attempted to pass on the left side of the lead airplane, and his airplane's right wing struck the lead airplane's left wing. Both pilots shut down their airplanes, exited them, and assessed the damage and determined that the damage was minimal, so they departed for the next leg of their training flight. After that flight, flight school maintenance personnel examined the airplanes and found that the lead airplane's left wing aileron and the passing airplane's three right-wing ribs had sustained substantial damage. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
According to a flight school representative, two solo pilot-rated students were performing pilot-in-command, skills-building training flights. The pilots were taxiing their airplanes to the runway when the pilot in the lead airplane pulled to the right side of the taxiway to allow the pilot in the other airplane to pass. The pilot of the passing airplane was looking at his onboard navigation device as he attempted to pass on the left side of the lead airplane, and his airplane's right wing struck the lead airplane's left wing. Both pilots shut down their airplanes, exited them, and assessed the damage and determined that the damage was minimal, so they departed for the next leg of their training flight. After that flight, flight school maintenance personnel examined the airplanes and found that the lead airplane's left wing aileron and the passing airplane's three right-wing ribs had sustained substantial damage. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to a representative of the flight school, both airplanes were operated single pilot, by pilot rated students performing separate pilot in command skills building training flights. Both airplanes landed at the same airport after a short cross-country flight. Following a short break, the pilots entered their respective airplanes and taxied to the runway. The pilot in the lead airplane pulled to the right side of the taxiway to allow the following airplane to pass. The pilot of the following airplane was looking at his onboard navigation device as he attempted to pass on the left side of the lead airplane, and his right wing struck the left wing of the lead airplane. Both pilots shut down their airplanes, exited and assessed the damage. Both pilots determined that the damage was inconsequential and departed for the next leg of their training flight. Further examination by the flight school's maintenance department, revealed that substantial damage was sustained to the left wing aileron of the stationary airplane, and to three right-wing ribs of the passing airplane. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
According to a representative of the flight school, both airplanes were operated single pilot, by pilot rated students performing separate pilot in command skills building training flights. Both airplanes landed at the same airport after a short cross-country flight. Following a short break, the pilots entered their respective airplanes and taxied to the runway. The pilot in the lead airplane pulled to the right side of the taxiway to allow the following airplane to pass. The pilot of the following airplane was looking at his onboard navigation device as he attempted to pass on the left side of the lead airplane, and his right wing struck the left wing of the lead airplane. Both pilots shut down their airplanes, exited and assessed the damage. Both pilots determined that the damage was inconsequential and departed for the next leg of their training flight. Further examination by the flight school's maintenance department, revealed that substantial damage was sustained to the left wing aileron of the stationary airplane, and to three right-wing ribs of the passing airplane. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N152TR
- Reported as
- Cessna 152 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15281247
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 14,851.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Us Aviation Group Llc
- Registered owner
- Us Aviation Group Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 6, 2019
- Departed
- GVT · Greenville, TX
- Destination
- GYI · Sherman/Denison, TX
- Airport
- GVT · Majors Airport
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- N6132Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 152 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285156
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 17,993.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- U S Aviation Group Llc
- Registered owner
- U S Aviation Group Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GVT · Greenville, TX
- Destination
- GYI · Sherman/Denison, TX
- Airport
- GVT · Majors Airport
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- Pilot, aircraft N152TR
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 22, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 91 total · 83 in this make and model · 29 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N6132Q
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 24, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 79.5 total · 73.5 in this make and model · 40.4 in the last 90 days · 17.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KGVT
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 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.