- Date
- April 6, 2011, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Snohomish, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N492SFCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Taxi: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110406005719A
- Case key
- 78804
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 failure to maintain clearance from a hangar while taxiing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while taxiing to the parking area after landing, he noticed that the steering became difficult. He added power and pulled back on the control yoke, noting that the aircraft movement became smooth. As he initiated a right turn to the parking area, the airplane suddenly moved to the left and the left wing struck a hangar. The left wing sustained structural damage. He further reported that following the collision, he turned off the engine, exited the airplane, and noticed that the nose wheel tire was flat. The pilot reported that there were no additional mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while taxing to the parking area after landing, he noticed that the steering became difficult. The pilot added power and pulled back on the control yoke, noting that the aircraft movement became smooth. As he initiated a right turn to the parking area, the airplane suddenly moved to the left and the left wing struck a hangar. The left wing sustained structural damage. The pilot further reported that following the collision, he shut down the engine, exited the airplane, and noticed that the nose wheel tire was flat. The pilot reported that there were no additional mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N492SF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268310
- Airframe hours
- 9,226
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- R. Desselle
- Registered owner
- Snohomish Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 28, 2010 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- S43 · Snohomish, WA
- Destination
- S43 · Snohomish, WA
- Airport
- S43 · Harvey Field 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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 21, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 264 total · 211 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- PAE, 7 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 303 KB in all.
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 N492SF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.