Pilot Debrief

TEXTRON AVIATION INC 172S near Wichita, KS — 2023-05-23

Final reportCEN23LA198
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Date
2023-05-23
Location
Wichita, KS, USA
Airport
KAAO
Aircraft
TEXTRON AVIATION INC 172S
Registration
N49RH
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

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

NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that, during taxi on taxiway A1 in a Cessna 172, a nearby turbine-powered Embraer Phenom airplane parked in the run-up area for taxiway blocked his path to the runway. After completing his pre-takeoff checklist, the student pilot radioed the Phenom crew and asked “if [he] could proceed and sneak behind them to the runway”. The Phenom crew replied, “that should be fine” and the pilot then proceeded to taxi behind the Phenom. As the Cessna taxied behind the Phenom, the jet blast lifted the airplane onto its propeller and left wing which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The Phenom maintenance crew reported they were conducting a high-power engine run and did not know that an airplane was trying to taxi behind them on taxiway A1. During the student pilot’s initial radio call, a turbine powered Beechjet airplane was taxiing the opposite direction on the taxiway and because the student pilot of the accident airplane did not identify himself with the airplane’s callsign, the maintenance crew assumed the radio call came from the Beechjet.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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