# NTSB WPR25LA032: Textron 172S, N679ER, Prescott, AZ, November 7, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 7, 2024, 06:42 local (13:42 UTC) - Place: Prescott, AZ - Coordinates: 34.654832999999996, -112.41922 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6548&lon=-112.4192&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - 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: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 195462 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA032 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195462/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195462 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA032 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s failure to maintain clearance from a fence during taxi. Contributing to the accident was the low light conditions and obstacles adjacent to the deice bay. ## 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) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause) - [Light condition: low light](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause) ## Analysis The flight instructor and pilot undergoing instruction were preparing for a pre-sunrise instructional flight. The airplane was standing at an unlit deice bay adjacent to a hangar, parked airplane, and a chain-link fence. As the flight instructor attempted to maneuver around the parked airplane and taxi out of the deice bay, the right wing impacted the top of the chain-link fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilots reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N679ER](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N679ER), registered now, S/N 172S12754, built 2021 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TEXTRON AVIATION INC 172S - Registry model: [Textron 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/textron-172s) (registry code 2072449) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S12754 - Year built: 2021 - Airframe hours: 2699.5 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Inc, doing business as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Registered owner: Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 6, 2024 - Airport: KPRC, Prescott Regional/Ernest A Love Field Airport - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Data recorder ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 21; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 20, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 607 total, 546 in this make and model, 458 as pilot in command, 204 in the last 90 days, 93 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 19; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 151 total, 151 in this make and model, 94 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 27 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: KPRC - METAR: KPRC 071353Z 00000KT 10SM CLR M03/M09 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP184 T10331094 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20241107017609I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241107017609I), Nov 7, 2024: Textron Aviation Inc 172S, Prescott, AZ, Minor damage. PIC / CFI was conducting a training flight under part 141. PIC / CFI was allowing the student to operate the controls of the aircraft to taxi after deicing… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195462. 6.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18002094&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Flattened_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Mechanic statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18202942&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MX%20Report%20ERU79-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 562 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18002104&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%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. --- 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.