Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wichita, Kansas 67209
Saturday, August 23, 2003 11:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was substantially damaged during an encounter with jet blast while taxing to the ramp after landing. The student pilot reported that she had landed and was instructed by the tower controller to exit at a specific taxiway and taxi to parking. The pilot stated there was a Challenger jet aircraft parked on an intersecting taxiway which the assigned taxi route required her to pass behind. The pilot reported that as she taxied behind the Challenger, her aircraft "started vibrating beyond control, moved around on the taxi way and [she] was unable to continue taxiing." The pilot stated that in the process, the right wing and propeller hit the pavement. Radio conversations between the control tower and the aircraft revealed that the Challenger requested a taxi clearance to perform "maintenance runs." The Challenger crew consisted of mechanics who were conducting a run-up to verify proper engine operation. They reported they were positioned on a crossing taxiway, 40 - 60 feet from the intersection at which the accident occurred. After the accident, the Challenger crew stated that they were operating above idle. The tower reportedly did not question them about their proximity to the crossing taxiway. At the time of the accident, an airport operating instruction concerning aircraft engine testing and run-up was in effect. It stated that aircraft "shall be positioned so as to provide the least amount of interference with other taxiing aircraft, and where jet or propeller blast will not affect parked or taxiing aircraft." The Challenger aircraft operating manual specifies hazard areas regarding engine exhaust. At idle thrust, the exhaust stream hazard area extends to approximately 85 feet behind the engine. At a distance of 40 feet, the exhaust stream speed is 34 miles per hour. At maximum thrust, the hazard area exceeds 170 feet. Exhaust stream velocity is 272 miles per hour approximately 38 feet behind the engine and is 136 miles per hour at a distance of approximately 58 feet. An individual of the maintenance facility stated that the company did not have a formal training procedure for mechanics regarding aircraft ground operations and jet blast hazards.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Failure of the maintenance crew to provide adequate clearance to an active taxiway during the engine run-up. Contributing factors were the failure of the control tower to provide a wake turbulence advisory to the accident aircraft when assigning a taxi route crossing immediately behind the maintenance aircraft, and the failure of the maintenance facility to have a formalized training procedure regarding aircraft ground operations and jet blast hazards for company mechanics.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/23/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1100 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wichita |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67209 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 373900N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0972559W |
| Event Location Airport | Wichita Mid-Continent Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ICT |
| 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 | 1333 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1056 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ICT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1333 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 34 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 3434 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KICT 231556Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 34/21 A3008 RM |
| 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) | 15437 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 4 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1538 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2004 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA -- Wichita FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N55326 |
| NTSB Number | CHI03LA280 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17275159 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | Aug 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 27 |
| Airframe Hours | 9428.7 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Cessna Emplyees Flying Club |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1780 Airport Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wichita |
| Aircraft Owner State | KS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 67209 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EGT |
| Departure City | Wellington |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1040 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | ICT |
| Destination City | Wichita |
| Destination State | KS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi - from landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 5 2004 7:58AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 19L |
| Runway Length | 7301 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |