MIA98LA234
1998-09-01 · LEESBURG, Florida, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport LEE
Current FAA registration · N5797R
- Make / Model
- CESSNA 172G
- Year of manufacture
- 1965 · 33 years old at event
- Engine
- CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER (145 hp)
- Seats / Engines
- 4 seats · 1 engine
- Last airworthiness date
- 19651002
- ADS-B equipped
- Yes — Mode-S A77335
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's decision to leave the engine running with no one at the controls as he exited the aircraft to check for wheel chocks in place. This resulted in the aircraft moving uncontrolled and eventually colliding with a fence.
Factual narrative
On September 1, 1998, about 1200 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N5797R, registered to an individual, collided with a fence at Leesburg Municipal Airport, Leesburg, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot received minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that when he attempted to begin taxiing for takeoff, the aircraft would not move. He left the engine running and exited the aircraft to see if he had left the wheel chocks in place. As he exited the aircraft it began to move. The wind from the propeller prevented him from getting back in the aircraft. The aircraft taxied uncontrolled and made a 360-degree turn. The aircraft then taxied across a taxiway into a field and collided with a fence. When the pilot attempted to taxi for takeoff, the aircraft would not move. He left the engine running and exited the aircraft to see if he had left the wheel chocks in place. As he exited the aircraft it began to move. He could not get back in the aircraft due to the propeller blast. The aircraft taxied uncontrolled and made a 360 degree turn. The aircraft then taxied across a taxiway and field and collided with a fence. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1998_MIA98LA234.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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