Event DEN03TA103

Factual narrative

On June 12, 2003, at approximately 1140 mountain daylight time, a Cessna R172E, N7867N, was substantially damaged when the left wing struck the asphalt taxiway following an encounter with a jet blast from an MD-80 while taxiing for takeoff at Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico. The student pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. The United States Air Force, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country training flight that was originating at the time of the accident. According to the student pilot, he had just finished opening his flight plan with Albuquerque Flight Service Station. He called ABQ Ground Control for taxi clearance and was instructed to taxi to Runway 8 and to follow an Air Tractor. The student pilot reported that after he crossed runway 35 and was approaching the taxiway intersection "A3," the airplane "began getting pushed to the left." The student pilot said he applied right aileron. The airplane continued to veer to the left. The student pilot stated he "applied additional right aileron" and "brakes." The airplane continued to roll, "resting momentarily on the left wingtip with the propeller striking the taxiway." An examination of the airplane revealed the left wing spar was bent aft. No other anomalies were found. After the event, the student pilot noticed an American Airlines MD-80, flight 1712, to his right that had just pushed back from its gate, B1, and was beginning to taxi. The student pilot was taxiing towards a taxiway intersection when the airplane began to be pushed left. The student pilot attempted to correct the drift by putting in right aileron, but the airplane continued to the left. The airplane tipped to the left and forward resting momentarily on its left wing tip, bending the wing spar rearward. After the event, the student pilot noticed an MD-80 to his right that had just pushed back from the gate and was beginning its taxi. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12