Cessna 172 and Piper PA28 accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, July 27, 2019
On July 27, 2019 at about 3:15 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172 (N13796) and Piper PA28 (N38657), were involved in the same accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland (Montgomery County Airpark airport). 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 flight instructor's failure to maintain clearance from the other airplane while taxiing.
The other pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the airplane while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2019 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gaithersburg, Maryland · Montgomery County Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172 M, built 1974 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N13796 · registry record · serial 17263006
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA28 181, built 1977 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N38657 · registry record · serial 28-7790574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Piper reported that, after landing and while taxiing back to his parking spot, he saw a Cessna holding short at the intersection to the same taxiway. He did not see the Cessna move, so he continued to taxi but then felt a "strong impact" as his airplane passed the Cessna. The flight instructor in the Cessna reported that he was taking a passenger on a familiarization flight. After clearing the taxiway from the ramp, he maneuvered the Cessna to the taxiway intersection. He then saw the Piper taxi past him and believed he had adequate clearance, so he continued to maneuver and turned left onto the taxiway. While the instructor simultaneously instructed the passenger while taxiing, the Cessna's left wingtip impacted the Piper's engine and left aileron. The instructor added that he should have waited for the Piper to pass the airplane and should have spent more time briefing the passenger to reduce task saturation. The Piper sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. The Cessna sustained minor damage to the lower engine cowling and propeller. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with their airplanes 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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA28 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Piper reported that, after landing and while taxiing back to his parking spot, he saw a Cessna holding short at the intersection to the same taxiway. He did not see the Cessna move, so he continued to taxi but then felt a "strong impact" as his airplane passed the Cessna. The flight instructor in the Cessna reported that he was taking a passenger on a familiarization flight. After clearing the taxiway from the ramp, he maneuvered the Cessna to the taxiway intersection. He then saw the Piper taxi past him and believed he had adequate clearance, so he continued to maneuver and turned left onto the taxiway. While the instructor simultaneously instructed the passenger while taxiing, the Cessna's left wingtip impacted the Piper's engine and left aileron. The instructor added that he should have waited for the Piper to pass the airplane and should have spent more time briefing the passenger to reduce task saturation. The Piper sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. The Cessna sustained minor damage to the lower engine cowling and propeller. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with their airplane 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 for the Cessna 172 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 › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 945 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 91 in the last 30 days; 831 as pilot in command; 363 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 13, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Destination: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 4,202 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KGAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA28 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 › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 419 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 320 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 28, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wifa (Washington International Flight Acad LLC)
The flight
- Departed from: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Destination: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 32, 4,202 ft by 75 ft
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.
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 GAA19CA468.