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).
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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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2022 · about 10:56 am local time
- Place
- Denton, Texas · Denton Enterprise · 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN23LA065.