On June 19, 2002, a Cessna 152 (registration N95035) was involved in an aviation accident near Pittsburgh, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate lateral clearance while taxiing, which led to the airplane striking a parked fuel truck. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A student pilot veered off the taxiway to avoid a pedestrian and collided with a parked fuel truck, causing significant damage to the left wing.
What happened
The incident occurred while a student pilot was taxiing an aircraft toward a ramp area following a landing. As the pilot approached the designated parking zone along the taxiway, a person was present on or near the taxiway surface. To avoid colliding with this individual, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft to the left, crossing over the yellow centerline marking.
The pilot believed there was sufficient lateral clearance between the parked fuel truck and the airplane's left wing. However, the assessment of space was incorrect. The left wingtip made contact with the fuel truck. This collision resulted in structural damage to the leading edge of the wing and the rear wing spar.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate lateral clearance while taxiing, which led to the airplane striking a parked fuel truck.