On June 12, 2003, a Cessna R172E (registration N7867N) operated by Kirtland Flight Center was involved in an aviation accident near Albuquerque, NM. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the student pilot's inadvertent encounter with the jet blast and the subsequent inability to maintain aircraft control. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot taxiing experienced a leftward drift and, after attempting correction with aileron, the airplane tipped left, bending the wing spar. An MD-80 had just pushed back from a nearby gate.
Event Description
A student pilot was taxiing the airplane toward a taxiway intersection when the aircraft began to drift left. In an attempt to correct the unintended movement, the student pilot applied right aileron. Despite this input, the airplane continued to move left. The aircraft then tipped onto its left side and forward, momentarily resting on its left wing tip. The impact bent the wing spar rearward.
Circumstances
After the incident, the student pilot observed an MD-80 aircraft to the right that had just completed its pushback from a gate and was beginning its taxi. No other details regarding the sequence of events or contributing factors are available.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the 12 Jun 2003 Cessna R172E accident near Albuquerque, NM?
A student pilot taxiing experienced a leftward drift and, after attempting correction with aileron, the airplane tipped left, bending the wing spar. An MD-80 had just pushed back from a nearby gate.
Were there any fatalities in the 12 Jun 2003 Cessna R172E accident?
No fatalities were recorded in this accident.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 12 Jun 2003 involved a Cessna R172E, registration N7867N, operated by Kirtland Flight Center, at Albuquerque, NM.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
the student pilot's inadvertent encounter with the jet blast and the subsequent inability to maintain aircraft control.
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