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Atlas / NTSB / WPR11CA376

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event WPR11CA376

2011-08-14 San Diego, California, United States Airport · MYF None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N216AF

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 172P

Year of manufacture

1980 · 31 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19800825

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A1CFD2

Registrant of record

ARMED FORCES AERO CLUB INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles while taxiing.

Factual narrative

After landing, the student pilot was cleared to taxi to the ramp area at his flight school. The student pilot stated that he observed the fuel truck and misjudged the clearance. The left wing tip hit the parked fuel truck's ladder and the airplane pivoted to the left where the leading edge of the wing struck the fuel truck. The damage to the airplane consisted of substantial structural damage to the left wing leading edge. After landing, the student pilot was cleared to taxi to the ramp area at his flight school. The student pilot stated that he observed the fuel truck and misjudged the clearance. The left wing tip hit the parked fuel truck's ladder and the airplane pivoted to the left, where the leading edge of the wing struck the fuel truck. The damage to the airplane consisted of substantial structural damage to the left wing’s leading edge. 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-Action-Incorrect action performance-Student pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Ground vehicle-Response/compensation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_WPR11CA376.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.