# NTSB WPR21LA322: Cessna 172F, N53350, Tucson, AZ, August 3, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 3, 2021, 07:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place: Tucson, AZ
- Coordinates: 32.125275, -110.9467 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1253&lon=-110.9467&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Taxi: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103705
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA322
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103705/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103705
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA322

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a safe taxi distance from a large turbine-powered airplane, resulting in an encounter of the turbine-powered airplane's jet blast while taxiing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172F, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md?model=2072414), [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172F, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072414), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082/sequence.md?model=2072414), [All aircraft, 44 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/082/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor reported that, during taxi on a taxiway, a nearby commercial turbine-powered airplane powered up to move onto the runway. As the commercial airplane turned, it kept a very high level of thrust. The jet blast subsequently lifted the instructor’s airplane onto its propeller and right wing. The right wing was substantially damaged. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N53350](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N53350), registered now, S/N 17252862, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172F
- Registry model: [Cessna 172F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172f) (registry code 2072414) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17252862
- Year built: 1965
- Engines: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Howell Kelly D
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Airport: TUS, Tucson Intl

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; seat: right; flight hours: 20,000 total, 10,000 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Turbulence: Unknown
- Observed at: KTUS, 1 nm away
- METAR: KTUS 031353Z 16009KT 10SM CLR 26/19 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP130 T02610189

## 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 20210803013439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210803013439A), Aug 3, 2021: Cessna 172F, Tucson, AZ, Substantial damage. Accident caused by jet blast. These are the instructor pilot and student pilot statements. Substantial damage to the aircraft. Right wing spar bent near the…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103705. 1.2 MB in all.

- Pilot statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12810016&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email-Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array-courtesy of the pilot (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12809766&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Photo%20Array-Rel.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.

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