Cessna 172M accident near Winston Salem, North Carolina, July 1, 2004
On July 1, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N71409, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winston Salem, North Carolina (Smith Reynolds airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the fence post, while taxing which resulted in a collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Winston Salem, North Carolina · Smith Reynolds · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N71409 · registry record · serial 17267227
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to both pilots, after landing, the airplane was cleared to taxi to the north ramp. Both pilots stated that the CFI in the left seat took control of the airplane in order to position and park it. The pilot in control of the airplane at the time of the accident, CFI- left, stated, "while pushing the left rudder, [his] foot slipped down and off the [left] pedal." He stated that he then immediately "pushed full left rudder, but the right wing... hit one of the corner metal poles." The pilot not in control of the airplane at the time of the accident, CFI-right, stated that as the pilot in control "was beginning to set-up the aircraft's turn, his foot immediately slipped off of the rudder. This caused the aircraft's wing to hit a fence pole." Both pilots stated that the airplane was immediately shut down and assistance was sought. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing sustained leading edge spar damage and extensive skin buckling, and the right wing tip was crushed. The engine, landing gear, fuselage, and left wing were intact and undamaged. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 325 hours in all
- Last flight review: June 2, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 360 hours in all
- Last flight review: April 18, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,669.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 4, 2004; 75.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Triad Air Inc.,
The flight
- Departed from: KINT Winston Salem NC at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Winston Salem NC
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N71409 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.