Piper PA28 N607FT and Cessna 172 N80298 accident near Miami, Florida

Probable cause

The student pilot's improper decision to taxi past another airplane occupying the taxiway and her subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the airplane.

The other pilot's improper decision to taxi past another airplane occupying a taxiway and her subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the airplane.

NTSB analysis

The student pilot in the low-wing airplane reported that, after landing, she exited the runway onto a taxiway, which was occupied by a high-wing airplane that had landed before her. She attempted to pass the high-wing airplane on the left, but her airplane's right wing struck the other airplane's left wing lift strut. Her airplane then turned right about 180°, and the right wing struck the propeller and then the right wing of the high-wing airplane.

The flight instructor in the high-wing airplane reported that, after exiting the runway onto a taxiway, he "felt a small hit on the left side." He saw a low-wing airplane make a right, 180° turn around the front of his airplane and impact its right wing.

The low- and high-wing airplanes sustained substantial damage to their right wings.

The student reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA19CA071 for the full record.