N724TM

On August 4, 2005, about 1330 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N724TM, registered to Morcom Aviation Services, doing business as Regal Air, as a 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight, collided with a fence pole during taxi to takeoff at Bowerman Airport, Hoquiam, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.

The student pilot reported that as he was departing from the fuel island for taxi to the runway and he did not turn far enough to maintain wingtip clearance from a chain link fence just outside of the maneuvering area boundary line around the fuel island. The wing impacted a fence post, resulting in the aircraft pivoting to the left around the post and then nosing into the fence. The left wing contacted the post about five feet inboard from the wing tip, damaging the leading edge and the aileron.

The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident.