- Date
- March 8, 1999, 10:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Rosa, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N8470KStinson 108-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990308002099A
- Case key
- 45868
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 unfavorable wind gust which inverted the airplane while taxiing.
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 landed on runway 26, and was turning to taxi to the tie-down area. He said that a gust of wind blew the airplane over onto its back. Both wings were damaged and the vertical stabilizer was bent. The airport manager reported that the wind was 270 degrees at 25 knots, with gusts to 35 knots, at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On March 8, 1999, approximately 1040 mountain standard time, a Stinson 108-1, N6470K, was substantially damaged during taxiing at the Santa Rosa Municipal Airport, Santa Rosa, New Mexico. The private pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was being operated by the owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight which originated from Hereford, Texas, approximately 70 minutes before the accident. No flight plan had been filed.
According to the pilot, he had just landed on runway 26 and was turning to taxi to the tie-down area. He said that a gust of wind blew the airplane over onto its back. Both wings were damaged and the vertical stabilizer was bent. The airport manager reported that the wind was 270 degrees at 25 knots, with gusts to 35 knots, at the time of the accident.
The previous owner reported that the pilot purchased the airplane in February of 1998. FAA records indicate that the pilot received his private pilot certificate on April 30, 1998. The Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) made several attempts to talk with the pilot, which were not successful. The IIC could not determine how many hours the pilot had in the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8470K
- Reported as
- Stinson 108-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-1470
- Airframe hours
- 2,130
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-150-B3, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James C. Row
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 1, 1999 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- HRX · Hereford, TX
- Destination
- Q58
- Airport
- Q58 · Santa Rosa Municipal Apt, runway 26, 4,400 × 50 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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 266 total · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 27 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- Q58, 65 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.
Other investigations on N8470K · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.