# Accident 19980224003879A: Cessna 172D, El Paso, TX, February 24, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 24, 1998, 21:00 local time
- Place: El Paso, TX
- Airport: El Paso International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.8073° N, 106.3764° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at EL PASO INTL (ELP), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8073&lon=-106.3764&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2526U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2526U-2021-10-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172D (registry code 2072410, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172D
- Reported engine: CONT O300D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 286 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA133) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980224003879A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

BLOWN OVER TURNING OFF ACTIVE RUNWAY. SEVERE EXCESSIVE SURFACE WIND. SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR WING WALKERS. (.4)ON FEBRUARY 24, 1998, AT 2100 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172D, AIRPLANE, N2526U, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE TAXING AT THE EL PASO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, EL PASO, TEXAS.  THE PRIVATE, INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT AND THE PASSENGER WE RE NOT INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE FORT STOCKTON-PECOS COUNTY AIRPORT, FORT STOCKTON, TEXAS, APPROXIMATELY 1715. AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON RUNWAY 24.  WHILE EXITING FROM THE ACTIVE RUNWAY ONTO THE TAXIWAY, DURING HIGH WIND CONDITIONS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS "LIFTED OFF THE GROUND AND FLIPPED OVER." THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE TAXIWAY.  THE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED FROM 240 DEGREES, AT 46 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 51 KNOTS.  THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AT THE SITE REPORTED THAT BOTH WING TIPS WERE CURLED.  HE ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT.  ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN A COMPLETED COPY OF THE PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT (NTSB FORM 6120.1/2), FROM THE PILOT, WHO WAS REPORTED TO HAVE RETURNED TO HIS HOMELAND IN GERMANY, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.                                                              (-23) ON FEBRUARY 24, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 2100 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172D, N2526U, LANDED ON RUNWAY 24 IN EL PASO, TX. THE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE LANDING WERE 240 DEGREES AT 46 KNOTS WITH GUST TO 51 KNOTS. AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO TAXIED CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY THE WINDS ROCKED UNCONTROLLABLY RIGHT AND LEFT CAUSING BOTH WING TIPS AND PROPELLER TIPS TO STRIKE THE PAVEMENT. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE RESULTED TO THE OUTBOARD TWO FEET OF EACH WING AS WELL AS THE PROPELLER TIPS. THE PILOT IN COMMAND IS A GERMAN NATIONAL WITH A US PRIVATE PILOT BASED ON HIS GERMAN CERTIFICATE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA133), Feb 25, 1998: Cessna 172D (N2526U), El Paso, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots improper compensation for the wind conditions and his failure to maintain control of the aircraft. A factor was the high wind condition.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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