Diamond Aircraft Ind Inc DA 20-C1 N4111T accident near Mesa, Arizona

Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to monitor and maintain clearance while taxiing, which resulted in collision with the parked airplane. Contributing to the accident was the parked airplane’s insufficient distance from the taxiway centerline.

NTSB analysis

While the student pilot was taxiing the airplane to depart on his first solo flight, its right wing collided with the right wing of a parked airplane. The student reported that, while taxiing, his attention was focused on the airplanes parked left of the taxiway centerline and that he did not see the airplane parked in a nonmovement area to his right. The parked airplane was positioned near a hangar and was about 14 feet away from the taxiway centerline, which was too close to the centerline because it provided about 4 feet less distance than required for the student's airplane to clear the parked airplane if he followed the centerline.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR13LA331 for the full record.