- Date
- February 11, 2006, 15:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Sacramento, CA
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA reports
- 20060211003489A20060211013592A
- Case key
- 63223
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 failure of the pilot of the other airplane to maintain an adequate clearance from obstacles while taxiing.
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from obstacles 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
A taxiing Cessna 172N collided with this airplane that was stationary in the run-up area. The pilot of the Cessna 172N positioned himself behind this airplane in the run up area. He completed his checklists, and requested takeoff clearance. He received permission to taxi into position and hold on the runway, and added power to taxi around this airplane. He said he failed to realize the close proximity of his airplane's left wing to this airplane's rudder. His airplane's wing tip collided with the this airplane's rudder and vertical stabilizer.
A taxiing Cessna 172N collided with a stationary Cessna 172P in the run-up area. The pilot of the Cessna 172N positioned himself behind the 172P in the run up area. He completed his checklists, and requested takeoff clearance. He received permission to taxi into position and hold on the runway, and added power to taxi around the 172P. He said he failed to realize the close proximity of his airplane's left wing to the 172P's rudder. His airplane's wing tip collided with the other airplane's rudder and vertical stabilizer.
Factual narrative
On February 11, 2006, about 1510 Pacific standard time, a taxiing Cessna 172N, N739GY, collided on the ground with a standing Cessna 172P, N54661, at Sacramento Executive Airport, Sacramento, California. Executive Flyers, Inc., was operating both of the airplanes under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger in the taxiing Cessna 172N were not injured; the airplane sustained minor damage. The certified flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot, and one passenger in the standing Cessna 172P were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The Cessna 172N was preparing to depart on a local personal flight, and the standing Cessna 172P was departing on a local instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for either airplane.
The CFI in the 172P stated that he and his student were in the run up area. Their airplane was stationary, and he saw the pilot of the 172N stop behind him. After completing their takeoff checks, they switched from ground control to tower frequency. He heard the 172N pilot ask and receive clearance for takeoff. He saw the 172N move forward, and felt that it was getting too close to his airplane. He was about to move forward when the left wing of the 172N hit his airplane's rudder.
The pilot of the Cessna 172N stated that he positioned himself behind the 172P in the run up area. He completed his checklists, and requested takeoff clearance. He received permission to position and hold, and added power to taxi around the 172P. He said that he failed to realize the close proximity of his airplane's left wing to the 172P's rudder. His airplane's wing tip collided with the other airplane's rudder and vertical stabilizer. Both pilots immediately stopped and shut down their engines.
On February 11, 2006, about 1510 Pacific standard time, a taxiing Cessna 172N, N739GY, collided on the ground with a standing Cessna 172P, N54661, at Sacramento Executive Airport, Sacramento, California. Executive Flyers, Inc., was operating both of the airplanes under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger in the taxiing Cessna 172N were not injured; the airplane sustained minor damage. The certified flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot, and one passenger in the standing Cessna 172P were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The Cessna 172N was preparing to depart on a local personal flight, and the standing Cessna 172P was departing on a local instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for either airplane.
The CFI in the 172P stated that he and his student were in the run up area. Their airplane was stationary, and he saw the pilot of the 172N stop behind him. After completing their takeoff checks, they switched from ground control to tower frequency. He heard the 172N pilot ask and receive clearance for takeoff. He saw the 172N move forward, and felt that it was getting too close to his airplane. He was about to move forward when the left wing of the 172N hit his airplane's rudder.
The pilot of the Cessna 172N stated that he positioned himself behind the 172P in the run up area. He completed his checklists, and requested takeoff clearance. He received permission to position and hold, and added power to taxi around the 172P. He said that he failed to realize the close proximity of his airplane's left wing to the 172P's rudder. His airplane's wing tip collided with the other airplane's rudder and vertical stabilizer. Both pilots immediately stopped and shut down their engines.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N739GY
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270543
- Airframe hours
- 9,152
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Executive Flyers, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Frank Radecki
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 1, 2005
- Departed
- SAC · Sacramento, CA
- Airport
- SAC · Sacramento Executive, runway 20, 5,503 × 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.
- Registration
- N54661
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275028
- Airframe hours
- 11,823
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Executive Flyers, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Joel Carey
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 1, 2006
- Departed
- SAC · Sacramento, CA
- Airport
- SAC · Sacramento Executive, runway 20, 5,503 × 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 · 3
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N739GY
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 166 total · 55 in this make and model · 111 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor, aircraft N54661
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2005
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,310 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1,260 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot, aircraft N54661
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 42 total · 8 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- SAC
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.