Melbourne International Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Melbourne, Florida 32901
Saturday, April 12, 2003 9:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot stated that after receiving his taxi clearance, he released the parking brake and the airplane began to roll forward. He applied the airplane's brakes to perform a brake check but the brakes were ineffective. The airplane rolled forward and collided with a parked airplane. According to several witnesses, they heard the airplane operating at a high power setting, before impacting a parked airplane at a high rate of speed. The airplane sustained structural damage aft of the firewall, damage to the firewall, and the engine mount. Examination of the brake system by the operator with FAA oversight revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's improper throttle setting during the braking test, resulting in a collision with a parked airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/12/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Melbourne
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32901
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 280610N
Event Location Longitude 0803843W
Event Location Airport Melbourne International Arpt
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KMLB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 33
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KMLB
Elevation of weather observation facility 33
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15224
NTSB Notification Source FIT
NTSB Notification Date Apr 12 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1013
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2004 8:14AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52903
NTSB Number MIA03LA096
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S9231
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 14 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96
Airframe Hours 96
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Massimo Bosso
Aircraft Owner Street Address 410 Hibiscus Trail
Aircraft Owner City Melbourne
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32901
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name FIT Aviation, LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 640 Harry Sutton Road
Operator City Melbourne
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 329011832
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KMLB
Departure City Melbourne
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 920
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KOBE
Destination City Okeechobee
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi - to takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Jan 29 2004 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --