What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was turning around during taxi when the wind caught the acft and flipped it up onto its nose, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) on may 4, 1999, approx. 1000 MDT, a Piper J3C-65, N6563H, owned by cub air and operated by the pilot center, was substantially damaged when it nosed over while taxiing at Downtown airpark, ft. Collins, Colorado. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions with gusty winds prevailed for the local personal flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight had not yet originated. According to the pilot, he had completed his pre-takeoff checklist and was turning the airplane 360 degrees to check for traffic when a wind gust lifted the tail and the airplane nosed over.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS TURNING AROUND DURING TAXI WHEN THE WIND CAUGHT THE ACFT AND FLIPPED IT UP ONTO ITS NOSE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) ON MAY 4, 1999, APPROX. 1000 MDT, A PIPER J3C-65, N6563H, OWNED BY CUB AIR AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT CENTER, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT NOSED OVER WHILE TAXIING AT DOWNTOWN AIRPARK, FT. COLLINS, COLORADO. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH GUSTY WINDS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT HAD NOT YET ORIGINATED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD COMPLETED HIS PRE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST AND WAS TURNING THE AIRPLANE 360 DEGREES TO CHECK FOR TRAFFIC WHEN A WIND GUST LIFTED THE TAIL AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.