On February 6, 2008, a Cessna 172S operated by Arnold Orange was involved in an aviation accident near Austin, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while parked on the ramp with the engine running. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A commercial pilot moved his seat back to retrieve a dropped object, losing access to brake pedals, causing his running single-engine airplane to roll and strike two parked airplanes.
Incident Description
A commercial pilot, who was also the registered owner of a single-engine airplane, was standing on the ramp with the engine running and the parking brake set. While preparing to taxi, the pilot dropped an object on the floor. Unable to reach it, he moved his seat back to retrieve the object. At that moment, he felt motion and realized he could no longer reach the brake pedals. Before he could release his seatbelt and turn off the engine, the airplane rolled forward and struck two parked airplanes.
Damage
The pilot's airplane and one of the parked airplanes sustained minor damage. The other parked airplane incurred substantial damage to its rudder and horizontal stabilator.
Contributing factors
Causes
Pilot
Other contributing factors
Aircraft
Related events
Same aircraft family
24 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172B
23 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172
18 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172
16 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172M (CK Aviation LLC)
9 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172
8 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172N
7 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172N (Tin Cup Investments INC)
24 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172M
21 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172P (Vascular Wings LLC)
18 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172L (Ocala Aviation Services INC)
16 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172L (Foothill Aircraft Sales and Service Inc.)
9 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172N (Kimber 123 Holdings LLC)
What happened in the 6 Feb 2008 Cessna 172S accident near Austin, TX?
A commercial pilot moved his seat back to retrieve a dropped object, losing access to brake pedals, causing his running single-engine airplane to roll and strike two parked airplanes.
Were there any fatalities in the 6 Feb 2008 Cessna 172S accident?
No fatalities were recorded in this accident.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 6 Feb 2008 involved a Cessna 172S, operated by Arnold Orange, at Austin, TX.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while parked on the ramp with the engine running.
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