Cessna 172M accident near Groton, Connecticut, May 24, 1994
On May 24, 1994 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N6891H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Groton, Connecticut (Groton-New London airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 pilot's inadequate visual lookout during taxi, which resulted in the airplane's wing tip striking ground support equipment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1994 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Groton, Connecticut · Groton-New London
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6891H · registry record · serial 17265630
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AND WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO THE RESTAURANT PARKING AREA BY THE CONTROL TOWER. WHILE TAXIING ACROSS THE RAMP TOWARD THE PARKING AREA, THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DEICING TRAILER THAT WAS PARKED ADJACENT TO A FENCE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS STATED THAT THEY WERE LOOKING LEFT AND DID NOT OBSERVE THE TRAILER. A WITNESS STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE AIRPLANE TRIED TO MANEUVER BETWEEN ANOTHER AIRPLANE AND THE TRAILER.
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: 153 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 72 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,002 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1993; 144 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HFD Hartford CT at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from GON
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.