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GAA18CA051

2017-11-12 · Tucson, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport TUS

Current FAA registration · N8515S

Make / Model
CESSNA 182H
Year of manufacture
1965 · 52 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19650907
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ABAE27

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to use taxiways shown on the airport diagrams and his subsequent failure to avoid a ditch.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that after he refueled his airplane, he was cleared by the tower controller to runway 21. He added that as he taxied west toward taxiway delta, the asphalt was very rough, and he did not see the taxiway to his left, nor the unmarked drainage ditch immediately in front of him. The airplane entered the ditch travelling about 5 knots. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the accident airport diagram revealed that the area around the ditch was not a depicted taxi way. A further review of satellite imagery revealed that there were two access points to taxiway delta southwest of the refueling point. The pilot reported that, after he refueled his airplane, he was cleared by the tower controller to the runway. He added that, as he taxied west toward taxiway Delta, the asphalt was very rough, and he did not see the taxiway to his left nor the unmarked drainage ditch immediately in front of him. The airplane entered the ditch travelling about 5 knots. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the accident airport diagram revealed that the area around the ditch was not a depicted taxiway. Further review of satellite imagery revealed that there were two access points to taxiway Delta southwest of the refueling point. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of available resources-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Rough terrain-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_GAA18CA051.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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