# NTSB SEA97LA095: Cessna 172N, N73934, Pullman, WA, April 27, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 26, 1997, 23:00 local (Apr 27, 1997, 06:00 UTC)
- Place: Pullman, WA
- Coordinates: 47.13969, -122.320686 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.1397&lon=-122.3207&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 24, 1998
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 42593
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA97LA095
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42593/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA095

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a fuel truck parked near his taxi route.  Factors include a dark night and a vehicle parked near the pilot's route of taxi.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - object - vehicle (contributing factor)

## Analysis

After an uneventful landing on a dark night, the pilot began taxiing the rental aircraft to its parking spot. As he maneuvered the aircraft in order to align it with the parking spot, the wing of the aircraft collided with a fuel truck that had been parked near his taxi route.

## Factual narrative

On April 26, 1997, approximately 2300 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172, N73934, collided with a fuel truck while being taxied at Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport, Pullman, Washington. The private pilot and his three passengers where not injured, but the aircraft, which was owned and operated by Interstate Aviation of Pullman, sustained substantial damage. The FAR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Coeur d' Alene, Idaho about 30 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions when the pilot landed at Pullman. The pilot had not filed a flight plan, and the ELT was not activated during the accident.

According to the pilot, who had landed after dark, he was making a 180 degree turn in order to align the aircraft with the parking spot in which he intended to stop, when the left wing of the aircraft collided with a stationary fuel truck.

The pilot failed to return an NTSB Form 6120.1/2.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N73934](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N73934), registered now, S/N 17267755, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172N
- Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17267755
- Engines: Lycoming IO-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Interstate Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed: S77, COEUR D' ALENE, ID
- Destination: PUW
- Airport: PUW, Pullman-Moscow

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 25; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, expired; seat: left; flight hours: 250 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 310° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19970427006709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970427006709A), Apr 27, 1997: Cessna 172N, Pullman, WA, Substantial damage. Aircraft left wing struck a fuel truck while taxiing to parking.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.