- Date
- March 29, 2002, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Russell, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N6156DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20020329010129A
- Case key
- 54433
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 failed to maintain control of the airplane during the back-taxi. Additional factors were the tailwind and the wind gust.
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 airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during taxi for takeoff. The winds were reported as 020 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The pilot reported he had purchased the airplane one day prior to he accident. After about a three hour flight, he landed in order to refuel. After refueling, he back-taxied down runway 35 for takeoff. He reported the winds were 20-25 knots, and that a gust of wind hit the airplane. Within 10-15 seconds, the airplane had nosed over and was upside down. He reported the airplane did not have a mechanical malfunction. The pilot reported that he held a current Third Class Medical Certificate, but his last biennial flight review was on October 3, 1986.
Factual narrative
On March 29, 2002, at 1530 central standard time, a Piper PA-22-150, N6156D, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during taxi for takeoff. The private pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was taxiing for departure at the Russell Municipal Airport (RSL), Russell, Kansas, en route to an unknown destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The winds at RSL were reported as 020 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 18 knots.
The pilot reported he had purchased the airplane on March 28, 2002, in Sterling, Colorado. On March 29, 2002, he landed at RSL to refuel. After refueling, he back-taxied down runway 35 for takeoff. He reported the winds were 20-25 knots, and that a gust of wind hit the airplane. Within 10-15 seconds, the airplane had nosed over and was upside down. He reported the airplane did not have a mechanical malfunction.
The pilot reported his last biennial flight review was on October 3, 1986. The pilot held a current Third Class Medical Certificate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6156D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-4803
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John Sherwin
- Registered owner
- John Campbell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2001
- Departed
- RSL · Russell, KS
- Destination
- Unknown
- Airport
- RSL · Russell Municipal, runway 35, 4,401 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 3, 1986
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,800 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- RSL
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 27, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB 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.