- Date
- March 26, 2003, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Rosa, NM
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N1228DCessna 170A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20030326004549A
- Case key
- 56699
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 failure to maintain directional control while taxiing for takeoff. A contributing factor was 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 pilot said he was taxiing north on a north-south taxiway towards an east-west taxiway, where he intended to taxi east and depart on runway 26. While taxiing north, a gust of wind from the west, estimated to be between 30 and 40 knots, weathervaned the airplane to the left. Full right rudder and right brake was to no avail. The airplane departed the runway and the left main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. The pilot was in the right front seat; another private pilot was in the left front seat.
Factual narrative
On March 26, 2003, approximately 1215 mountain standard time, a Cessna 170A, N1228D, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with a taxiway sign while taxiing for takeoff at the Santa Rosa, New Mexico, Municipal Airport. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight, destined for Anthony, New Mexico, had not yet originated.
In his accident report, the pilot said he was taxiing north on a north-south taxiway towards an east-west taxiway, where he intended to taxi east and depart on runway 26. While taxiing north, a gust of wind from the west, estimated to be between 30 and 40 knots, weathervaned the airplane to the left. Full right rudder and right brake was to no avail. The airplane departed the runway and the left main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. The landing gear box was buckled, the tail wheel was twisted, and several rivets were popped out of the left door post.
The following weather was recorded at the Clines Corner remote AWOS (Automated Weather Observation Station), located 50 miles west of Santa Rosa: Wind, 280 degrees at 26 knots, gusts to 33 knots; visibility, (greater than) 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature, 15 degrees C. (59 degrees F.); dew point, -11 degrees C. (12 degrees F.); altimeter, 30.11.
In his accident report, the pilot indicated he was seated in the right front seat. Another private pilot was in the left front seat.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1228D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19782
- Airframe hours
- 5,405
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jack M. Hogan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 7, 2002 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- Q58 · Santa Rosa, NM
- Destination
- TA50 · Anthony, NM
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- Q58 · Santa Rosa Municipal
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- September 27, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,239 total · 150 in this make and model · 6,615 as pilot in command · 69 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 26 knots, gusting 33
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- CQC, 64 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.