- Date
- August 5, 2002, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Williamsport, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N739GVCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 13, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20020805021539A
- Case key
- 55491
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 student pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a building while taxiing.
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 student pilot initiated a left turn in front of a fixed base operator, to taxi to a runway. While looking to the right during the turn, the airplane's left wing struck a building. The student pilot had not previously practiced 180-degree turns while taxiing, and there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On August 5, 2002, at 1100 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N739GV, was substantially damaged when it impacted a hangar while taxiing at the Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT), Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The certificated student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The student pilot reported that she had flown with her flight instructor in the traffic pattern on the day of the accident, and performed about seven touch-and-go landings. The flight instructor then asked her if she was comfortable with performing a solo flight in the traffic pattern. She agreed, and the flight instructor exited the airplane.
The student pilot then initiated a left turn to return to the runway, and while looking to the right during the turn, the airplane's left wing struck a building.
The student pilot reported that due to recent construction at the airport, she had to make an immediate 180-degree turn in front of the fixed based operator's building. She had not previously practiced 180-degree turns while taxiing, and came "too close to the building" during the maneuver.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, substantial damage was observed to the airplane's left main wing spar. Additionally, no mechanical deficiencies were noted.
Weather, reported at Williamsport at 1053, included winds from 280 degrees at 4 knots, and visibility 6 miles.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N739GV
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270540
- Airframe hours
- 4,980
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Margaret Balliet
- Registered owner
- Quarter To Two Flying Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 17, 2002 · 100 hours before
- Departed
- IPT · Williamsport, PA
- Destination
- IPT
- Airport
- IPT · Williamsport Regional Airport
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 21 total · 21 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IPT
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 N739GV · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.