Cessna 172A accident near Van Nuys, California, May 17, 1998
On May 17, 1998 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N7222T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance due to his inadequate visual lookout and selection of the wrong taxi route. Contributing factors were the pilot's diverted attention while taxiing in the vicinity of a construction area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1998 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7222T · registry record · serial 46822
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot received a ground control clearance to taxi for takeoff from his transient position near the northeast side of the airport to the beginning of runway 16L. He proceeded slowly in a northerly direction and became somewhat confused regarding the route to take as he approached a barricaded area under construction. According to the pilot, he decided to use a northbound vehicle service road (instead of the taxiway) because earlier, with his flight instructor, he had used another service road near the construction area. While proceeding on the road he diverted his attention toward the active runway, and the airplane's right wing collided with a perimeter boundary fence pole. The taxiway markings in the vicinity of the accident site were subsequently inspected to ascertain their degree of conformity with Advisory Circular 150/5340-1G, Standards for Airport Markings. Deficiencies were noted in the vicinity of the barricaded detour area where the pilot reported he had previously taxied. This area was devoid of a taxiway centerline marking. Several hundred feet north of this location, at the intersection of the accident site taxiway and the vehicle service road, the minimum FAA recommended markings were present. Subsequently, the airport's management painted additional ground markings to enhance the conspicuity of the taxiway/access road intersection near the accident site.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 299 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 201 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 1997; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY CA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: WHP Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16L, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:57 pm from VNY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX98LA163.