Pilatus PC12 and Cessna 172 accident near Mesa, Arizona, November 28, 2018
On November 28, 2018 at about 3:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Pilatus PC12 (N552TC) and Cessna 172 (N976SP), were involved in the same accident near Mesa, Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport). No one was hurt; 7 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 follow the air traffic controller’s instructions and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate lookout to see and avoid the other airplane on the taxiway.
The other pilot's failure to follow the air traffic controller’s instructions and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate lookout to see and avoid the other airplane on the taxiway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2018 · about 3:50 pm local time · cases in 2018
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Phoenix-Mesa Gateway · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Pilatus PC12 45, built 2002 · all PC12s on the register
- Registration
- N552TC · registry record · serial 443
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172 S, built 1999 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N976SP · no longer on the register · serial 172S8198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Pilatus PC12 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Pilatus reported that, after the local air traffic controller gave him an instrument flight rules clearance, he taxied the airplane from the ramp to the taxiway. While turning onto the taxiway, the controller instructed him to give way to an airplane on the same taxiway. He acknowledged the instruction; stopped the airplane; looked left and saw a Cessna, which had already passed him. He then looked right and did not see any other airplanes on the taxiway and continued to taxi. Shortly after, he realized that the airplane's propeller had struck something, so he immediately shut down the engine, deplaned, and realized that he had struck another Cessna that he had not seen. The flight instructor in the Cessna reported that, while the student pilot was taxiing back to the ramp, they were instructed by the local air traffic controller to follow company traffic while passing another airplane to their left, "holding" short of the same taxiway. He then looked left outside of the window and saw a spinning propeller moving closer toward the airplane. He immediately grabbed the controls and hammered the right pedal, but the other airplane's propeller struck their airplane's left wing. The Pilatus sustained damage to the propeller. The Cessna sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot and the flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with their airplanes that would have precluded normal operation. A video provided by the airport authority showed that the Pilatus taxied left onto the taxiway from the ramp without stopping and that there was another airplane farther down the taxiway.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Pilatus reported that, after the local air traffic controller gave him an instrument flight rules clearance, he taxied the airplane from the ramp to the taxiway. While turning onto the taxiway, the controller instructed him to give way to an airplane on the same taxiway. He acknowledged the instruction; stopped the airplane; looked left and saw a Cessna, which had already passed him. He then looked right and did not see any other airplanes on the taxiway and continued to taxi. Shortly after, he realized that the airplane's propeller had struck something, so he immediately shut down the engine, deplaned, and realized that he had struck another Cessna that he had not seen. The flight instructor in the Cessna that was struck reported that, while the student pilot was taxiing back to the ramp, they were instructed by the local air traffic controller to follow company traffic while passing another airplane to their left. He then looked left outside of the window and saw a spinning propeller moving toward the airplane. He immediately grabbed the controls and hammered the right pedal, but the other airplane's propeller struck their airplane's left wing. The Pilatus sustained damage to the propeller. The Cessna sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot and the flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with their respective airplanes that would have precluded normal operation. A video provided by the airport authority showed that the Pilatus taxied left onto the taxiway from the ramp without stopping and that there was another airplane farther down the taxiway.
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 for the Pilatus PC12 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Following instructions › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 4,439 hours in all; 2,187 in this make and model; 4,109 as pilot in command; 1,303 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 2018; 3,272 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,921 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B (turboprop); 3,276 hours total
- Operator: Daylight Nightlight Ez Flight Llc
The flight
- Departed from: IWA Mesa AZ at 3:40 pm
- Destination: MRY Monterey CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 12R, 10,401 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from KIWA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172 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 other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Following instructions › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 474.3 hours in all; 234.3 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 74.3 in the last 30 days; 260.2 as pilot in command; 84.5 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 1.7 hours in all; 1.7 in this make and model; 1.7 in the last 90 days; 1.7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,630.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 19, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO360-L2A (piston); 3,253 hours total
- Operator: Atp Aircraft 4 Llc
The flight
- Departed from: IWA Mesa AZ at 2:00 pm
- Destination: IWA Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12R, 10,401 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
Aircraft
- N552TC on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Pilatus PC-12 1,447 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Pilatus 403 aircraft on the register
- N976SP: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,691 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B 277 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming IO360-L2A 2,650 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
Place
- Mesa Gateway Airport · nearest airport
- Monterey Regional · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,985 since 1982 · 466 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,435 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA19CA079.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.