Cessna 172 accident near Brooksville, Florida, July 22, 2021
On July 22, 2021, a 1998 Cessna 172, registered N472SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Brooksville, Florida (Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 an appropriate distance between the airplane and hangar, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2021 · cases in 2021
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 1998 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N472SP · registry record · serial 172S8017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing the pilot was taxiing the airplane back to the fixed based operator hangar. As the airplane approached the hangar, he noticed the hangar door open and attempted to align the airplane in front of the open door, but “misjudged the distance” from the wingtip to the hangar and impacted the hangar with the right wing. Subsequently, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing rear spar. The pilot reported that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 56.7 hours in all; 56.7 in this make and model; 33.8 in the last 90 days; 13.7 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Aviation INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BKV, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBKV 220053Z 27004KT 10SM CLR 27/23 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP190 T02720228
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture 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 April 29, 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 1 page · our copy | 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
- N472SP on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 2,650 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 987 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,702 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA21LA302.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.