Cessna 172 N4335R

Summary

On 30 March 2019 at about 01:00 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N4335R, operated by Pilot Training Center Llc, was involved in an accident near Fort Myers, 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

30 March 2019 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Myers, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Page Field (FMY)

Coordinates

26.5867, -81.8633

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N4335R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Pilot Training Center Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Miami → Fort Myers

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA19TA146

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to remain clear of a light pole while taxiing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to a lineperson at the airport, the airplane was taxiing toward four fuel trucks to park. The lineperson then exited one of the trucks with wands, got the pilot's attention, and walked north away from the trucks to direct the pilot to a safer parking area. He then signaled for the pilot to taxi toward him, but the airplane continued north-northwest toward the trucks, and the engine revved to a high rpm. The lineperson then motioned for the airplane to slow and move away from the trucks; however, the airplane continued to taxi toward the trucks. The lineperson signaled stop and yelled "stop" several times. The airplane did not stop, and its left wing struck a light pole near one of the trucks. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Although the pilot stated that while parking on the ramp parking area, a lineperson provided directions to taxi, which led the airplane's left wing to collide with a light pole, the airport director of operations reported that the pilot could not recall any of the wand signals that he was provided.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.