Cessna 172S N52903

Summary

On 12 April 2003 at about 13:20 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N52903, operated by FIT Aviation, LLC, was involved in an accident near Melbourne, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 April 2003 at 13:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Melbourne, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Melbourne International Arpt (KMLB)

Coordinates

28.1028, -80.6453

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N52903

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

FIT Aviation, LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Melbourne → Okeechobee

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA03LA096

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's improper throttle setting during the braking test, resulting in a collision with a parked airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot stated that after receiving his taxi clearance, he released the parking brake and the airplane began to roll forward. He applied the airplane's brakes to perform a brake check but the brakes were ineffective. The airplane rolled forward and collided with a parked airplane. According to several witnesses, they heard the airplane operating at a high power setting, before impacting a parked airplane at a high rate of speed. The airplane sustained structural damage aft of the firewall, damage to the firewall, and the engine mount. Examination of the brake system by the operator with FAA oversight revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.