Cessna 172P accident near Agana, October 6, 2011
On October 6, 2011 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N9853L, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Agana (Guam International Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 avoid the jet blast while taxiing and the ground air traffic controller's failure to advise the pilot of the hazard.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2011 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Agana · Guam International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9853L · registry record · serial 17276639
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he returned to the airport and, after landing, was cleared by an air traffic controller to exit the runway and to proceed to parking, which would require his airplane to cross behind a heavy jet airplane. The pilot reported that he was aware that the heavy jet airplane had been on the taxiway all morning doing periodic engine run-ups. The pilot said that he thought about refusing the clearance but did not. While taxiing across the taxiway behind the jet, a jet blast struck the airplane. The airplane initially slid sideways, then the jet blast picked up the left wing and the right wing struck the ground, which caused substantial damage to the right wing.
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
What happened, in order
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › ATC personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 487 hours in all; 234 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 438 as pilot in command; 121 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 2011; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Trend Vector Aviation Int
The flight
- Departed from: PGUM Agana at 1:00 am
- Destination: PGUM Agana
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from PGUM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9853L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR12CA003.