Event WPR14CA175

Factual narrative

The sport pilot had just landed after completing a local flight. He reported that while taxiing his airplane to position it for a push back into his hangar, he advanced power instead of reducing power. The airplane taxied off the movement area, down into a ditch colliding with terrain adjacent a taxi-way. The firewall and forward fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The sport pilot landed the airplane and was taxiing to his hangar. He maneuvered the airplane to position it for a push back when he was confused by the engine controls and added power instead of reducing power. The airplane taxied off the movement area, down into a ditch colliding with terrain. The firewall and forward fuselage sustained substantial damage during the impact sequence. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine 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-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Engine controls-Power lever-Incorrect use/operation - C
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Debris/dirt/foreign object-Contributed to outcome