- Date
- March 21, 1997, 21:00 local (Mar 22, 1997, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Middletown, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N733LKCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 2, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970321003879A
- Case key
- 39336
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 improper decision to taxi on a motor vehicle access road at night, and his inadequate visual look out which resulted in the collision with an aluminum lamp post. A factor in this accident was the night condition.
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
After landing in night visual meteorological conditions, the pilot taxied the airplane along a motor vehicle access road, and the airplane's right wing struck an aluminum lamp post. The pilot stated '...saw hangers where I wanted to be and a road leading up to hangers. Started up road taxing and struck light pole on this road.'
Factual narrative
On March 21, 1997, about 2100 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N733LK, was substantially damaged when it struck a lamp post while taxing at Hook Field Municipal Airport (MWO), Middletown, Ohio. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at the Blue Ash Airport, Cincinnati, Ohio. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, earlier that day the pilot received 1 hour of dual instruction in the airplane to establish takeoff and landing currency. The pilot and passenger then departed on a local flight to MWO for dinner. After landing, when the pilot taxied the airplane along a motor vehicle access road, the airplane's right wing struck an aluminum lamp post damaging the right wing, the right side of the fuselage, and the door attaching point.
In the NTSB Form, 6120.1/2 the pilot stated:
"...Saw hangers where I wanted to be and a road leading up to hangers. Started up road taxing and struck light pole on this road."
The pilot's last flight before the day of the accident was on December 12, 1996. His reported total flight experience was 143 hours, of which 135 hours were in make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733LK
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268373
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Barbara F. Schmidt, doing business as Schmidt Aviation
- Registered owner
- Philip N. Schmidt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 13, 1997
- Departed
- ISZ · Cincinnati, OH
- Destination
- MWO · OH
- Airport
- MWO · Hook Field Muni
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 143 total · 135 in this make and model · 84 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 220° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAY, 24 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 N733LK · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.