Cessna 172 N6762A accident near San Marcos, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient clearance from a large multi-engine airplane during taxi operations.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that while he was approaching a taxiway intersection, a large, twin engine, turboprop airplane was undergoing a maintenance engine run on the adjacent run-up area. The propeller blast from the turboprop airplane lifted the left wing and tail of the airplane, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane’s fuselage, empennage, both wings, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

According to the pilot, the tower controller did not issue any cautionary advisories for the turboprop airplane activity to the pilot with the takeoff clearance.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN24LA117 for the full record.