- Date
- November 20, 2001, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Crystal River, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N1385UCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20011120037269A
- Case key
- 53818
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
the pilot's failure to keep a proper visual lookout and ensure proper clearance during taxi operations, which resulted in a collision with vehicles.
Analysis
The pilot stated that while taxiing the aircraft it collided with vehicles that were parked on the side of the taxiway, and the collision resulted in damage to both wings, as well as the top of the fuselage, at the wing attach points. According to the pilot, prior to the collision, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft or to any of the its systems.
Factual narrative
On November 20, 2001, about 1500 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172M, N1385U, registered to, and operated by Crystal Aero Group, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, collided with vehicles while taxiing at Crystal River Airport, Crystal River, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The private-rated pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft, was not injured, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage.
The pilot stated that after he had completed the flight, and while he was taxiing the aircraft, the right wing struck the extendable bucket on the back of a truck, which was parked on the side of the taxiway. The pilot said that the collision caused the aircraft to depart the taxiway to the right, and as it did so, the left wing then struck a parked van. The pilot said that the collision with both vehicles resulted in damage to both wings, as well as the top of the fuselage, at the wing attach points. According to the pilot, prior to the collision, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft or to any of the its systems.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1385U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17267056
- Airframe hours
- 9,107
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Crystal Aero Group
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 29, 2001 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- CGC · Crystal River, FL
- Airport
- CGC · Crystal River 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- April 6, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 208 total · 199 in this make and model · 166 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BKV, 28 nm away
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 N1385U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.