Casualties unknown

1998-10-18: Cessna 152 (N5550L) — Palo Alto Flying Club — Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto, CA, US

On October 18, 1998, a Cessna 152 (registration N5550L) operated by Palo Alto Flying Club was involved in an aviation accident near Palo Alto, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's misjudgment of wingtip clearance while taxiing between parked aircraft and a fuel truck. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 15 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot on her first solo cross-country flight misjudged wingtip clearance while taxiing between parked aircraft and collided with an unoccupied fuel truck at the base airport.

What happened

The incident occurred during a solo cross-country flight undertaken by a student pilot. At the time of the event, the pilot was operating on the ground at her home base airport. She was navigating along the yellow taxiway centerline, which ran between two rows of parked aircraft.

A fuel truck was positioned in front of another aircraft that was undergoing a refueling operation. While passing this area, the student pilot misjudged the lateral clearance between the wingtip of her aircraft and the stationary fuel truck. As a result, the right wing of the aircraft made contact with the unoccupied vehicle.

Probable cause

The student pilot's misjudgment of wingtip clearance while taxiing between parked aircraft and a fuel truck.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X11295. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.