Cessna 172 accident near Punta Gorda, Florida, December 26, 2015
On December 26, 2015 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 172, registered N4776E, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Punta Gorda, Florida (Punta Gorda airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 student pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance while taxiing on the ramp, resulting in a collision with an object.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2015 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Punta Gorda, Florida · Punta Gorda · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1978 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4776E · registry record · serial 17271641
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that after landing, he was taxiing on a ramp between a parked airplane and a ramp light pole as directed by the lineman. During the taxi movement, the left wing of the airplane impacted the ramp light pole and sustained substantial damage. He reported that the lineman and the parked airplane, "had my attention and I did not see the grey light pole during my scan, possibly due to the grey sky background at the time." The student pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Towing and taxiing › Taxiing › Incorrect use/operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 47.4 hours in all; 31.8 in this make and model; 19.6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 12.8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,477.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 28, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 6,931 hours total
- Operator: Jacobs Flight Services, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 2IS Clewiston FL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: PGD Punta Gorda FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 7,193 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KPGD
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 N4776E 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.