Cessna 172 accident near Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, June 2, 2018
On June 2, 2018 at about 3:20 pm local time, a 2007 Cessna 172, registered N1305B, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Fuquay Varina, North Carolina (Triple W airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from overgrown brush during taxi, which resulted in entanglement with the brush and a subsequent impact with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2018 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fuquay Varina, North Carolina · Triple W · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2007 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1305B · registry record · serial 172S10654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, after demonstrating a simulated emergency landing, he taxied the airplane off the runway and prepared to back taxi for departure. While taxiing, the instructor and student monitored the right-wing tip clearance to the overgrown brush on the right side of the runway, but the right wing became entangled, and the airplane veered right. The instructor added left rudder and brake, but the airplane impacted a ditch. Postaccident examination revealed that the right wing struck a tree and sustained substantial damage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 709 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 615 as pilot in command; 333 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 27, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- 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
The flight
- Departed from: HRJ Erwin NC at 2:50 pm
- Destination: 5W5 Fuquay Varina NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,004 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KHRJ, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 GAA18CA323.