# NTSB ERA13CA181: Cessna 172, N7113G, Tistusville, FL, March 24, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 24, 2013, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Tistusville, FL - Coordinates: 28.620277, -80.834442 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.6203&lon=-80.8344&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-from runway: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 18, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 86495 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13CA181 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86495/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86495 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA181 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of airplane control while taxiing in gusting wind conditions associated with nearby thunderstorm activity. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Convective weather: thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010/cases.md) - [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-from runway: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md) - [Taxi-from runway: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Taxi-from runway: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172K, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072430), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he elected to land because there were thunderstorms between his location and the destination airport. He landed the airplane without incident and was taxiing to a parking area when the wind increased. The wind lifted the tail of the airplane; it nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather reported at an airport located 6 miles east of the accident location indicated thunderstorm activity and wind from 240 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 19 knots; peak wind gusts of 52 knots were recorded repeatedly during a 30 minute period around the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, he elected to land at the accident airport since there were thunderstorms between him and the destination airport. He landed the airplane without incident and was taxiing to the tiedown area when the wind increased. The wind lifted the tail of the airplane, it nosed over, and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather reported at an airport located six miles to the east of the accident location included thunderstorm activity and winds from 240 degrees at 14 knots, gusts 19 knots, and the peak wind was recorded at 52 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7113G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7113G-2014-05-15), registration cancelled 2014-05-15, S/N 17258813, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (K) - Registry model: [Cessna 172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172k) (registry code 2072430) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17258813 - Airframe hours: 5797 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Ryans Dream Inc. - Registered owner: Ryans Dream Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, March 24, 2013 - Departed: TMB, Miami, FL - Destination: DED, DeLand, FL - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: X21, Arthur Dunn Air Park ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 6, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 11,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 10,500 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 14 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 0 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,200 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.68 inHg - Observed at: TTS, 8 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 20130324004549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130324004549A), Mar 24, 2013: Cessna 172K, Titusville, FL, Substantial damage. Aircraft flipped over on back, while taxiiing to the ramp, after landing on grass runway 22U, at authur dunn air park (X21), FL ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 23, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86495. 10.6 MB in all. - Memorandum of Record: Pilot Statement (item 1, .PDF, 316 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390268&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%3A%20Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - TTS Weather Observations (item 2, .PDF, 495 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390272&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=TTS%20Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 3, .PDF, 9.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391010&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1: View of Airplane At Rest (Courtesy of WFTV) (item 4, .PDF, 34 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391021&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20View%20of%20Airplane%20At%20Rest%20(Courtesy%20of%20WFTV)-Master.PDF 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.