Cessna 172N accident near Morgantown, West Virginia, August 9, 2026
On August 9, 2026 at about 11:03 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 172N, registered N6175G, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Morgantown, West Virginia (Morgantown Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fuel truck driver’s distraction and inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with an airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2026 · about 11:03 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Morgantown, West Virginia · Morgantown Municipal Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1979 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6175G · registry record · serial 17273574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had just landed on the runway and was instructed by the tower controller to exit the runway to the left and taxi to the hangars. After exiting the runway, he stopped past the hold short line to perform the after-landing checklist. While he was performing the checklist items, the airplane was struck from behind by a fuel truck, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s empennage, elevators, and fuselage. The fuel truck driver stated that he was looking at his phone while he was crossing the runway and when he looked up, he saw the airplane in front of him. He applied the truck’s brakes, but the truck struck the 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
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 296 hours in all; 286 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 210 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 2,275 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: mrb Martinsburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,199 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from MGW
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMGW 092253Z 23007KT 10SM FEW040 29/19 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP175 T02890189 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Fuel truck and Airplane
Photograph 2 – Airplane tail damage
Photograph 3 – Airplane tail damage
Photograph 4 – Fuel truck damage
Photograph 5 – Fuel truck skid marksThe 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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 1, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Fuel Truck Driver Written Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Airport Surveillance Video - Fuel Truck Colliding with Airplane (6 Minutes, 21 Seconds; MP4; 35MB) | video | 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
- N6175G on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,680 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M 418 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Morgantown Muni/Walter L Bill Hart Field · nearest airport
- Eastern WV Rgnl/Shepherd Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in West Virginia 424 since 1982 · 54 in the last ten years
- West Virginia 886 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA26LA297.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.