- Date
- April 26, 2011, 19:00 local (Apr 27, 2011, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- El Paso, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N208TFCessna 208B
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) operating: Ground collision
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Martinaire Aviation, LLC, FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110426006319A
- Case key
- 78985
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control as result of the gusting wind.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
As the pilot prepared for the evening cargo flight, the wind was reported as being strong and gusting. The pilot reported that he radioed the air traffic controller for his flight clearance and the current wind conditions. Since the wind was higher than previously reported, the pilot told the controller that he would wait before taxiing further. The pilot added that, after deciding to delay the flight and before he could shut down the airplane, a large gust of wind pushed the airplane’s nose left and lifted the left wing. The airplane’s propeller and right wing impacted the ground, bending the airplane’s right wing. At about the time of the accident the automated weather reporting station, located on the airport, reported the wind at 270 degrees at 36 knots gusting to 48 knots.
Factual narrative
As the commercial pilot prepared for the evening cargo flight, the winds were reported as being strong and gusting. The pilot reported that he radioed the control tower for his flight clearance and the current wind conditions. Since the wind was higher than previously reported, the pilot told the tower that he would wait, before taxing further. The pilot added that after deciding to delay the flight and before he could shut down the airplane, a large gust of wind pushed the airplane’s nose left and lifted the left wing. The airplane’s propeller and right wing impacted the ground, bending the airplane’s right wing. At 1851 the automated weather reporting station, located on the airport, reported the wind at 270 degrees at 36 knots gusting to 48 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N208TF
- Reported as
- Cessna 208B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 208B0592
- Airframe hours
- 10,424
- Engine
- P&W PT6A SER, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Martinaire Aviation, LLC, doing business as Martinaire
- Registered owner
- Priority Air Charter LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 4, 2011
- Departed
- ELP · El Paso, TX
- Destination
- LBB · Lubbock, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ELP · El Paso International Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 3, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,979 total · 211 in this make and model · 1,945 as pilot in command · 58 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Not reported
- Wind
- 270° at 36 knots, gusting 48
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.62 inHg
- Observed at
- KELP
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 23, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 540 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N208TF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.