- Date
- November 18, 2000, 16:05 local (22:05 UTC)
- Place
- Minot, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N562GSCessna 150K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 23, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20001118040039A
- Case key
- 50669
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 student pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control on the ground. Factors relating to the accident were the high winds, the slush-covered taxiway, the snowbank, inadequate preflight planning by the flight instructor, and the instructor pilot's failure to take remedial action.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The instructor pilot said that the "winds reported on prebrief were 290 [degrees] at 24 [knots]. She said that they were given taxi instructions to runway 31 at the Minot International Airport, "[taxiway] f, R/W (runway) 8, R (right) on [taxiway] c", and "after turning R (right), keep left on [the] T/W (taxiway). The instructor pilot said that after executing the instructions, "slush was encountered on the left side. That, coupled with a sudden increase in wind speed - gust, made the airplane skid to the left ... The nose sank into a snow bank." As they were preparing to exit the airplane, the instructor pilot said, "the nose submerged further and the tail moved upwards progressively till the aircraft laid upside down." An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. At 1605 cst, the local weather observation at the Minot International Airport reported winds of 290 degrees at 24 knots.
Factual narrative
On November 18, 2000, at 1605 central standard time (cst), a Cessna 150K, N562GS, operated by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it was flipped over in a crosswind while taxiing to runway 31 (7,493 feet by 150 feet, dry concrete) at the Minot International Airport, Minot, North Dakota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was on file. The instructor pilot and dual student on board the airplane reported no injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
In her written statement, the instructor pilot said that the "winds reported on prebrief were 290 [degrees] at 24 [knots]." She said that they were given taxi instructions, "[taxiway] f, R/W (runway) 8, R (right) on [taxiway] c", and "after turning R (right), keep left on [the] T/W (taxiway)." The instructor pilot said that after executing the instructions, "slush was encountered on the left side. That, coupled with a sudden increase in wind speed - gust, made the A/C (aircraft) skid to the left ... The nose sank into a snow bank ... We were nose down for a couple of seconds." As they were preparing to exit the airplane, the instructor pilot said, "the nose submerged further and the tail moved upwards progressively till the A/C (aircraft) laid upside down."
In his written statement, the student pilot said that while turning on to taxiway "c", he put in wind corrections for a right tailwind and made his turn to the left side of the taxiway. The student pilot said that a gust of wind pushed the airplane off of the taxiway. The left main and nose gear were off the prepared surface. "We proceeded to shut down the engine and another gust of wind flipped the plane over."
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane at Minot International Airport. Both wings were bent aft at the roots. The airplane's fuselage showed numerous bends and wrinkles. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the airplane's engine, engine controls, and other systems revealed no anomalies.
At 1605 cst, the local weaather observation at the Minot International Airport reported winds of 290 degrees at 24 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N562GS
- Reported as
- Cessna 150K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15071509
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Curtis Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 14, 2000
- Departed
- MOT
- Airport
- MOT · Minot International Arpt
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
- 21
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 505 total · 400 in this make and model · 420 as pilot in command · 95 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 24 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 95 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MOT, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.