Event ERA13LA381

Factual narrative

On August 26, 2013, about 0720 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N5232D, collided with a parked airplane after the pilot reported that he lost consciousness while taxiing at the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport (TMB), Miami, Florida. The student pilot was not injured and airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was registered to Three Seas Aviation LLC., and operated by ADF Airways under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a training flight. The pilot stated that prior to the accident he was fully rested and performed a preflight inspection of airplane. He then taxied to the ramp hold position and contacted air traffic ground control for taxi instructions and that was the last thing he remembered. He lost consciousness and regained consciousness after his airplane collided with another airplane on the ramp. The pilot stated that he did not know why he lost consciousness and that it had never happened to him before. He went on to say that he never had any history of seizures, fainting or losing of consciousness before this event. An examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane collided with the left engine of parked airplane. The accident airplane's engine mount and firewall were buckled. A review of the pilot's most recent medical evaluation dated May 8, 2013, for his third class medical certificate revealed that the pilot was in good health. After the accident the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Aerospace Medicine denied his application until further review. A review of the student pilot's medical file revealed that the 18 year old held a third class medical certificate dated May 8, 2013. Further review of the student pilot's medical file revealed that the student pilot did not have any waivers or limitations. The student pilot was observed to have a grand mal seizure while taxiing. He was noted to be postictal (an altered state of consciousness occurring after a seizure characterized by drowsiness and confusion) when evaluated by emergency medical service. Work up thus far has included an emergency room visit with a normal head computed tomography and normal electrolytes. The student pilot reported that the last thing he remembered regarding the accident sequence was taxiing the airplane to the ramp hold position and then contacting air traffic ground control. He stated that he then lost consciousness. He regained consciousness after his airplane collided with another airplane parked on the ramp. He reported that he had never lost consciousness before this event. A witness reported observing the pilot having a seizure while he was taxiing the airplane, and emergency responders reported that the pilot was confused and drowsy for a period of time following the event, consistent with the pilot having experienced a seizure. The pilot did not have any waivers or limitations on his medical certificate. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Physical-Impairment/incapacitation-Other loss of consciousness-Student pilot - C