Cessna 172M and Cessna 182 accident near Denton, Texas, December 15, 2022
On December 15, 2022 at about 10:56 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172M (N221MF) and Cessna 182 (N21462), were involved in the same accident near Denton, Texas (Denton Enterprise airport). No one was hurt; 4 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 another airplane while taxing in the run-up area.
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from another airplane while taxing in the run-up area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2022 · about 10:56 am local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Denton, Texas · Denton Enterprise · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172M, built 1976 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N221MF · registry record · serial 17267380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 182 P, built 1972 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N21462 · registry record · serial 18261646
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot taxing N21462 stated he did not turn sharply enough when he applied power to position the airplane in the run-up area, and the airplane’s right wing struck the vertical stabilizer of N221MF which was stopped in the run-up area. The pilot of N21462 stated that his foot slipped and was not on the brake during the turn. N221MF sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, and N21462 sustained minor damage to the right-wing tip and outboard leading edge. The pilot of N21462 said that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that precluded normal operations.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 182 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot taxing N21462 stated he did not turn sharply enough when he applied power to position the airplane in the run-up area, and the airplane’s right wing struck the vertical stabilizer of N221MF which was stopped in the run-up area. The pilot of N21462 stated that his foot slipped and was not on the brake during the turn. N221MF sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, and N21462 sustained minor damage to the right-wing tip and outboard leading edge. The pilot of N21462 said that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that precluded normal operations.
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 for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 691 hours in all; 105 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 624 as pilot in command; 438 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 10, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 108 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: US Aviation Academy
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KDTO, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDTO 151653Z 31009G17KT 260V330 10SM CLR 09/M03 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP189 T00941028
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 182 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 75 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 19, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 17, 2023. 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 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | PILOT/OPERATOR_6120_1MF | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N221MF on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,692 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- N21462 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 182 Skylane 11,833 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES 27,304 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Denton Enterprise Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,061 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,985 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN23LA065.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.