# NTSB WPR17LA207: Cessna 208B, N786WW, Sedona, AZ, September 16, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 16, 2017, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Sedona, AZ - Coordinates: 34.849166, -111.790557 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8492&lon=-111.7906&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi: Ground handling event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/080) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 9 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 96030 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR17LA207 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96030/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96030 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA207 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a light pole while taxiing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 208B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=2073701), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: pole](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 208B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md?model=2073701), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi: Ground handling event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/080) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 208B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/080/sequence.md?model=2073701), [All aircraft, 108 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/080/sequence.md) - [Taxi: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 208B, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073701), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot reported that, while taxiing after landing, he was instructed by the ground controller to follow a truck to transient parking. A fly-in car show event was taking place at the time, and several areas on the ramp were occupied by the show. With a wing walker on the right wing, he followed the truck and moved left of the taxiway centerline to avoid getting too close to the airplanes to the right that overhung into the taxiway. After the airplane was clear of the airplanes to the right, the pilot advanced the throttle and the left wing impacted a light pole, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. ## Factual narrative On September 16, 2017, about 1430 mountain standard time, a Cessna 208B airplane, N786WW, collided with a light pole while taxiing after landing at the Sedona Airport (SEZ), Sedona, Arizona. The pilot and eight passengers were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The airplane was registered to and operated by West Wind Aviation, Inc., as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight. The flight departed Grand Canyon West Airport, Peach Springs, Arizona at 1322.According to the pilot, after an uneventful landing on runway 3, he taxied the airplane from taxiway A2 to taxiway A and waited for further instructions from ground control. A Fly-in & Car Show event was taking place at the time, and several areas on the ramp were occupied by the show. The pilot was then instructed by ground control to follow a truck on A6 taxiway to transient parking. The transient parking was moved to the east side of the ramp and was only accessible by taxiway A6 during the event. The pilot stated that as he followed the truck, he noticed several airplanes that were parked to the right side and their wings overhung into the taxiway near to the centerline. As he approached the airplanes he steered left of centerline to maintain clearance to his right. He had one ground personnel to the right side clearing the airplane's right wing and no one on the left side to clear the left wing. The pilot advanced the throttle after he was clear of the airplanes to his right and subsequently impacted a light pole with the left wing. The light pole was positioned about 65 ft from the centerline of taxiway A6. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records indicated that the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine and multiengine land ratings. The pilot reported that he had about 915 hours total flight experience, including about 102 hours in the accident airplane make and model. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N786WW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N786WW), registered now, S/N 208B1099, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 208B - Registry model: [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (registry code 2073701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 208B1099 - Year built: 2004 - Engines: P&W PT6A SER turbo prop; P&W PT6A SER turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Westwind Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Westwind Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 1G4, PEACH SPRINGS, AZ - Destination: SEZ, Sedona, AZ - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: SEZ, Sedona, runway 03, 5,132 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 915 total, 102 in this make and model, 675 as pilot in command, 224 in the last 90 days, 81 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KSEZ ## 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 20170916011649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170916011649A), Sep 16, 2017: Cessna 208B, Sedona, AZ, Substantial damage. (Pilot statement edited for relevant content) I was the PIC of N786WW (westwind caravan explorer 3) after an uneventful landing on runway 03 at sez, I taxied… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 27, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96030. 2.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 926 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465989&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Flyer - Sedona Airport Day 2017 (item 2, .PDF, 240 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465990&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flyer%20-%20Sedona%20Airport%20Day%202017-Master.PDF - Photo Array - Onsite Photos (item 3, .PDF, 5 photos, 486 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465991&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array%20-%20Onsite%20Photos-Master.PDF - Aerial View of Accident Site (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 348 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465992&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aerial%20View%20of%20Accident%20Site-Master.PDF - Aerial View of Event Locations (item 5, .PDF, 241 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40465993&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aerial%20View%20of%20Event%20Locations-Master.PDF 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.