- Date
- September 2, 2001, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Augusta, ME
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N65057Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 13, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20010902039239A
- Case key
- 53466
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 pilot's failure to maintain the proper distance from a sign post during taxi.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot said he had returned from a local pleasure flight, and taxied the airplane to the operator's ramp. He said that the flight was only his second from that airport. The pilot taxied towards the fuel pumps to service the airplane, and an airport employee signaled to get his attention. The pilot said his attention was directed at the airport employee, and as the airplane approached the pumps, the leading edge of the right wing tip struck a sign post.
Factual narrative
On September 2, 2001, at 0945 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N65057, was substantially damaged when it collided with a sign during taxi at the Augusta State Airport (AUG), Augusta, Maine. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In a written statement, an airport employee described the airplane's movement on the airport and its collision with the sign. He said:
"I saw him cross 26 towards the parking area. I needed to fuel the plane so I pointed towards the pumps. He saw me point and then turned towards the pump area. As I walked to the pumps, I turned to see where he was. As I turned to look, he hit the right wing on the Exxon sign in front of the FBO."
During a telephone interview, the pilot said he had returned from a local pleasure flight, and taxied the airplane to the operator's ramp. He said that the flight was only his second from the Augusta State Airport. The pilot said he taxied towards the fuel pumps to service the airplane, and an airport employee signaled to get his attention. According to the pilot:
"It was only my second time flying into the airport. As I taxied to the pumps, the employee raised his hands to get my attention. As I approached the pumps, I clipped the right leading edge -the right wing - about 6 inches in from the tip. The dent was about 10 inches to a foot long, and pushed back about an inch and a half towards the trailing edge.
"I take full responsibility, because I was focused on the guy and his proximity to the propeller."
The pilot reported 95 hours of flight experience, all of which were in the Cessna 172.
The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
The weather at AUG about the time of the accident was clear skies with the winds from 340 degrees at 8 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65057
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275677
- Airframe hours
- 5,596
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-O2J, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Maine Instrument Flight
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 9, 2001 · 59 hours before
- Departed
- AUG · Augusta, ME
- Airport
- AUG · Augusta State Airport, runway 35, 5,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 29, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 95 total · 95 in this make and model · 23 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- AUG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N65057 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.