Cessna 172 and Cessna 172 accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, August 18, 2019
On August 18, 2019 at about 1:39 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172 (N408ER) and Cessna 172 (N465ER), were involved in the same accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Daytona Beach Intl airport). 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 other pilot's failure to see and avoid the airplane established on the taxiway.
The pilot entering the taxiway's failure to see and avoid the airplane established on the taxiway
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2019 · about 1:39 am local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Daytona Beach Intl · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172 S, built 2014 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N408ER · no longer on the register · serial 172S11439
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172 S, built 2015 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N465ER · no longer on the register · serial 172S11606
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the landing pilot, she landed the airplane and expedited her exit from the runway via Sierra 1 for taxiway Sierra. She had been cleared by the air traffic tower controller to cross runway 16 and proceed to the run-up area for departure from runway 25. Once established on taxiway Sierra, she entered the intersection at taxiway Echo. Subsequently, the airplane was struck from the left by another airplane that had entered the intersection via taxiway Echo. The other pilot reported that he was communicating with a ground controller and that he entered the intersection via taxiway Echo and then turned left onto taxiway Sierra. He reported that he had "double checked" to his left and right before entering the intersection but that his airplane's propeller struck another airplane's left wing. According to air traffic control recordings, a ground controller contacted the pilot of the airplane taxiing on taxiway Echo for taxiway Sierra and asked, "Do you have the traffic off to your right side?" The next two ground transmissions were stepped on, and the airplane entered the intersection and impacted the airplane already established on taxiway Sierra. The airplane established on taxiway Sierra sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Both pilots 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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the landing pilot, she landed the airplane and expedited her exit from the runway via Sierra 1 for taxiway Sierra. She had been cleared by the air traffic tower controller to cross runway 16 and proceed to the run-up area for departure from runway 25. Once established on taxiway Sierra, she entered the intersection at taxiway Echo. Subsequently, the airplane was struck from the left by another airplane that had entered the intersection via taxiway Echo. The other pilot reported that he was communicating with a ground controller and that he entered the intersection via taxiway Echo and then turned left onto taxiway Sierra. He reported that he had "double checked" to his left and right before entering the intersection but that his airplane's propeller struck another airplane's left wing. According to air traffic control recordings, a ground controller contacted the pilot of the airplane taxiing on taxiway Echo for taxiway Sierra and asked, "Do you have the traffic off to your right side?" The next two ground transmissions were stepped on, and the airplane entered the intersection and impacted the airplane already established on taxiway Sierra. The airplane established on taxiway Sierra sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Both pilots 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 for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 231 hours in all; 231 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 7, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,276.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 30, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 9,844 hours total
- Operator: Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Inc
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 1:32 am
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KDAB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 117 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 20, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,049.6 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 13, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 5,956 hours total
- Operator: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Inc
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.
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.