On May 24, 1994, about 1845 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, operated by JAMM INC., and piloted by Donald W. Palmer, was substantially damaged when it struck a de-icing tower while taxing at the Groton-New London Airport (GON), Groton, Connecticut. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that after landing at the GON Airport he had been cleared by the control tower to taxi to the restaurant parking area. He further stated: "...I turned left onto Hotel and moved slowly into parking area...My intention was to taxi straight ahead and turn left behind a plane that was parked on the lot and turn around facing forward. The next thing I knew I heard a sound and thought I went into a pothole or went over a tiedown...I realized I hit what later turned out to be a deicing trailer...I was looking to the left and ahead where I was going to park the plane..." An aircraft mechanic, in the GON control tower at the time of the accident stated: "...I watched as a Cessna 172 taxied from runway 15, across the west side of the terminal parking ramp, in a northwest direction towards the restaurant parking. An aircraft de-icing stand was parked adjacent to the fence which borders the restaurant parking area...It appeared as though the pilot was trying to maneuver his C172 between the de-ice stand and the parked aircraft, when his right wing tip hit the de-ice stand causing the plane to pivot about 90 degrees hard to the right..."