Cessna 172 accident near Iron Mountain, Michigan, August 3, 2021
On August 3, 2021 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1956 Cessna 172, registered N6778A, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Iron Mountain, Michigan (Ford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanics’ failure to follow procedures for high-thrust operations at the nontowered airport, which resulted in jet blast damage to an airplane taxiing nearby.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2021 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Iron Mountain, Michigan · Ford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172, built 1956 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6778A · registry record · serial 28878
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed the Cessna 172 at the nontowered airport and taxied toward parking. As the Cessna 172 passed about 200 ft behind a Bombardier CRJ-200 parked on the ramp, two mechanics onboard the CRJ-200 were conducting a maintenance test and were not aware of the Cessna 172. The mechanics increased the CRJ-200’s engine power, and jet blast lifted the Cessna 172’s tail, which resulted in the Cessna 172 nosing down and sustaining substantial damage to the left wing. The mechanics did not follow several of the operator’s procedures for high-thrust maintenance operations at a nontowered airport, including notifying airport management personnel of high-thrust operations, selecting the most appropriate location on the airport, and actively communicating high-thrust intentions on the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency. Their failure to follow these procedures led to their performing high-thrust operations near a taxiing airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Understanding/comprehension › Maintenance personnel
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of procedures › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,109 hours in all; 425 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 2,902 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 21, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,502 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-300 SER (piston); 2,502 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IMT Iron Mountain MI at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from KIMT
Weather report (METAR): KIMT 241654Z AUTO 20004KT 10SM FEW021 24/17 A2999
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 15, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo of Airplane | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence with Airport Manager | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Correspondence with Operator | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.