• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
General Aviation News

General Aviation News

Because flying is cool

  • Pictures of the Day
    • Submit Picture of the Day
  • Stories
    • News
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Products
    • NTSB Accidents
    • ASRS Reports
  • Comments
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ad
  • Events
  • Digital Archives
  • Subscribe
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Distracted pilot hits hangar

By NTSB · February 10, 2021 ·

The pilot pulled the Cessna out of the hangar at the airport in Arlington, Washington. He told investigators he believed the airplane’s wheels were stuck in the snow.

During the engine warm-up, he had the seat all the way back and was checking the weather, as he planned to perform a 10-minute run-up. After five minutes he noticed that the engine RPM increased from 800 to 1,200. He recalled that when he noticed the increase in engine RPM, he was about to adjust the throttle, but the airplane began to roll and hit a hangar.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.

The pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented by keeping his feet on the brakes during the engine run-up.

Probable Cause: The pilot’s distraction during the engine warm-up, which resulted in the airplane’s collision with a hangar. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to set the brakes.

NTSB Identification: 98975

This February 2019 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

About NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant events in the other modes of transportation, including railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. It determines the probable causes of accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.

Reader Interactions

Share this story

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share on LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit Share on Reddit
  • Share via Email Share via Email

Become better informed pilot.

Join 110,000 readers each month and get the latest news and entertainment from the world of general aviation direct to your inbox, daily.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Curious to know what fellow pilots think on random stories on the General Aviation News website? Click on our Recent Comments page to find out. Read our Comment Policy here.

Comments

  1. Dan says

    February 11, 2021 at 10:51 am

    Good thing he did not get to the end of the runway and actually take off.🥴😖

  2. Michael P. says

    February 11, 2021 at 7:05 am

    Parking brake? Just about every Cessna I have flown had one, no wait, EVERY Cessna I have flown had one…

  3. scott says

    February 11, 2021 at 5:04 am

    Confusing…guess you had to be there 😏

© 2025 Flyer Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Writer’s Guidelines
  • Photographer’s Guidelines