Cessna 172 accident near St. Thomas, December 13, 2010
On December 13, 2010 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N1348L, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near St. Thomas (Cyril E King Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 an adequate visual lookout while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2010 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- St. Thomas · Cyril E King Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1348L · registry record · serial 172S9939
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was told that he had to reposition the airplane. While taxiing to an other area, he became fixated on staying clear of a jet on the ramp which had its engines running. He did not notice a white baggage cart that was parked on the ramp, and the airplane's left wing contacted the baggage cart, resulting in substantial damage.
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
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 611 hours in all; 402 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 491 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 2, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 906 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUPJ Tortola at 4:00 pm
- Destination: STT St Thomas
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from STT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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 N1348L 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.