- Date
- May 3, 2002, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Redfield, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N6422ECessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 13, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20020503009279A
- Case key
- 54674
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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control while taxing to takeoff in high and gusty wind conditions.
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
When taxing for departure, the aircraft moved forward about 10 to 15 feet and cleared a hangar to the left side. At this point, the left wing began to lift, raising the left wheel off the ground and pushing the aircraft to the right. As the left wing continued to rise, propeller striking occurred and the aircraft nosed over. The pilot reported that the aircraft came to a rest upside down in the grass.
Factual narrative
On May 3, 2002, at 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N6422E, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over while taxiing for departure at the Redfield Municipal Airport (1D8), Redfield, South Dakota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries.
According to the pilot's written statement, the aircraft taxied forward about 10 - 15 feet and cleared a hangar to the left side of the airplane. The pilot reported that the left wing began to lift, raising the left wheel off the ground and the aircraft went to the right. The pilot stated that as the left wing continued to rise, the propeller impacted the ground and the aircraft nosed over. The pilot reported that the aircraft came to a rest upside down on the grass. At the time of the accident, the pilot reported the wind was 240 to 260 degrees at 18 knots gusting to 25 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6422E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46522
- Airframe hours
- 9,015
- Engine
- Continental O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John O. Aiton
- Registered owner
- Ed Souder
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 16, 2001 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- 1D8 · Redfield, SD
- Destination
- Redfield, SD
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 1D8 · Redfield Municipal 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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- November 19, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 204 total · 156 in this make and model · 181 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 3, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 434 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.