# NTSB DEN99LA069: Piper J3C-65, N6563H, Fort Collins, CO, May 4, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 4, 1999, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Fort Collins, CO - Coordinates: 40.649116, -105.030609 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6491&lon=-105.0306&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 25, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46211 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN99LA069 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46211/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA069 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor was the gusty wind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with weather, taxi - to takeoff - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - Loss of control - on ground/water, taxi - to takeoff - Nose over, taxi - to takeoff ## Analysis The pilot said that the wind was from 290 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots 'or less.' After completing the pre-takeoff checklist, the pilot turned the airplane 360 degrees to check for traffic before taxiing onto the active runway. When the airplane had made a 180 degree turn (tail directly into the wind), an 'unexpected strong gust of wind' lifted the tail and the airplane nosed down. Another wind gust caused the airplane to nose over onto its back. ## Factual narrative On May 4, 1999, approximately 1000 mountain daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N6563H, owned by Cub Air, LLC, and operated by The Pilot Center, was substantially damaged when it nosed down while turning at Downtown Airpark, Fort Collins, Colorado. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight that was to be conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight had not yet originated. The pilot said the wind was from 290 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots "or less." After completing the pre-takeoff checklist, the pilot turned the airplane 360 degrees to check for traffic before taxiing onto the active runway. When the airplane had made a 180 degree turn (tail directly into the wind), an "unexpected strong gust of wind" lifted the tail and the airplane nosed down. Another wind gust caused the airplane to nose over onto its back. At 0955, five minutes before the accident, the following weather observation was recorded at Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL), located 11 miles south of the Fort Collins-Downtown Airpark: Wind, 290 degrees at 14 knots, gusts to 21 knots; sky condition, clear; visibility greater than 10 miles; temperature 11 degrees C. (51.8 degrees F.); dew point -4 degrees C. (24.8 degrees F.); altimeter, 29.37 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6563H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6563H), registered now, S/N 19755, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper J3C-65 - Registry model: [Piper J3C-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (registry code 7100510) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C75 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (registry code 17005, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 19755 - Airframe hours: 1700 - Engines: Continental A75-8 75 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: The Pilot Center - Registered owner: Cub Air, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 10, 1999, 14 hours before - Departed: 3V5 - Airport: 3V5, Fort Collins Downtown, runway 29, 4,699 × 48 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, expired; seat: front; flight hours: 4,088 total, 130 in this make and model, 4,006 as pilot in command, 174 in the last 90 days, 62 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 14 knots, gusting 21 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: FNL, 11 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990504004569A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990504004569A), May 4, 1999: Piper J3C65, Fort Collins, CO, Substantial damage. Acft was turning around during taxi when the wind caught the acft and flipped it up onto its nose, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) on may 4, 1999,… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.