Probable cause
The truck driver’s to see and avoid the airplane, which resulted in a collision.
NTSB analysis
The flight instructor and the student pilot had just been cleared to taxi from the ramp to the active runway. According to the instructor, as soon as they began to roll forward, an airport operations truck struck the airplane from the right, which resulted in substantial damage to an engine mount. According to the truck driver, had stopped on the service road, short the ramp. He described that there was a large snowbank on his left that obscured his field of vision. As he drove forward, and passed the snowbank, he impacted the airplane.
A review of air traffic control (ATC) communications revealed that the truck driver was clear of the active movement area when the accident occurred and was no longer talking to ATC. The impact occurred about 21 seconds after ATC cleared the airplane to taxi.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA25LA121 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Feb 15, 2025
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Syracuse, New York
- Nearest airport
- Syracuse Hancock Intl (SYR)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172G
- N-number
- N1178F
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1966
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.