Cessna 172 N5555R

Summary

On 5 November 2007 at about 19:41 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N5555R, operated by Merlin G. Grigsby, was involved in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 November 2007 at 19:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Nashville International (KBNA)

Coordinates

36.1244, -86.6783

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N5555R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Merlin G. Grigsby

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nashville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC08CA017

Nobody was injured.

A propwash encounter during taxi from a four-engine airplane that overturned the pilot's single-engine airplane when he elected to taxi across the larger airplane's propwash.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot was cleared to taxi for takeoff and was proceeding toward the departure runway in a light, single-engine airplane. The pilot saw a four-engine military C-130 turboprop airplane that appeared to be doing an engine run-up, about 300 feet to the left of his taxiway. In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, the pilot reported, "I stopped short, and contacted Nashville ground 121.9, stating that I request further taxi instructions since a C-130 is running engines with exhaust blast toward me." The controller stated "...proceed your discretion." The pilot continued to taxi behind the C-130, and his airplane was struck by the propwash. The pilot's airplane was blown sideways and overturned. Paragraph 11, Jet Engine Exhaust, of the FAA's Advisory Circular AC 90-23F Aircraft Wake Turbulence, notes that light aircraft need to maintain adequate separation from jet engine blast during ground operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.