Lexington Bluegrass Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lexington, Kentucky 40517
Sunday, November 30, 2003 12:41 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The ground controller cleared regional jet mechanics to perform a static engine run at the gate, and advised that she would "take the Cessna up to a different intersection." She also cautioned another crew about the run-up; however, she did not mention the runup in her position relief briefing. The pilot of the accident airplane subsequently requested clearance to taxi, and the new ground controller granted the clearance without providing information about the regional jet's engine run-up. When the accident airplane passed about 300 feet behind the regional jet, it was blown sideways, struck its left wing on the ground, tipped onto its nose, and pivoted 180 degrees. The airplane continued to be buffeted until the mechanics were advised to cease the engine run-up. Federal Aviation Administration Order 7110.65P included a standard operating procedure about transferring position responsibility, which stated, "the specialist being relieved shall be responsible for ensuring that any pertinent status information of which he/she is aware is relayed to the relieving specialist..."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The ground controller's failure to advise the relieving controller information regarding an engine run-up, which subsequently resulted in the flight instructor's inadvertent encounter with jet blast during ground taxi.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/30/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1241
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Lexington
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40517
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 380201N
Event Location Longitude 0843601W
Event Location Airport Lexington Bluegrass Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KLEX
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 979
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1254 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LEX
Elevation of weather observation facility 979
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17172
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region Comm Cente
NTSB Notification Date Nov 30 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1317
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 27 2005 3:52PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Lexington

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9968F
NTSB Number IAD04LA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model C172R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17280208
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Oct 14 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 2488
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Aero-Tech, Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4330 Hangar Drive
Aircraft Owner City Lexington
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40510
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LEX
Departure City Lexington
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LEX
Destination City Lexington
Destination State KY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --