Event GAA19CA071

Factual narrative

The student pilot in the low-wing airplane reported that after landing, she exited the runway on to a taxiway which was occupied by the high-wing airplane which had landed before her. She attempted to pass the high-wing airplane on its left, but her right wing struck the other airplane's left wing lift strut. Her airplane then continued to the right, turning about 180° with her right wing striking the propeller of the high-wing airplane, followed by her propeller striking the right wing of the high-wing airplane. The flight instructor in the high-wing airplane reported that after exiting the runway on to a taxiway he "felt a small hit on the left side." He saw a low-wing airplane make a right 180° turn around the front of his airplane and impact the right wing of his airplane. The low-wing airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The high-wing airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot in the low-wing airplane reported that, after landing, she exited the runway onto a taxiway, which was occupied by a high-wing airplane that had landed before her. She attempted to pass the high-wing airplane on the left, but her airplane's right wing struck the other airplane's left wing lift strut. Her airplane then turned right about 180°, and the right wing struck the propeller and then the right wing of the high-wing airplane. The flight instructor in the high-wing airplane reported that, after exiting the runway onto a taxiway, he "felt a small hit on the left side." He saw a low-wing airplane make a right, 180° turn around the front of his airplane and impact its right wing. The low- and high-wing airplanes sustained substantial damage to their right wings. The student reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 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-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Student/instructed pilot - C
• C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Aircraft-Effect on operation - C
• C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other aircraft-Student/instructed pilot - C
• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot of other aircraft - C
• C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring other aircraft-Pilot of other aircraft - C
• C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Aircraft-Effect on operation - C