- Date
- February 24, 1998, 21:00 local (Feb 25, 1998, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- El Paso, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N2526UCessna 172D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980224003879A
- Case key
- 20541
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 pilots improper compensation for the wind conditions and his failure to maintain control of the aircraft. A factor was the high wind condition.
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 reported to an FAA inspector that he landed the airplane on runway 24. While exiting from the active runway onto the taxiway, in high wind conditions, the airplane was lifted off the ground and flipped over. The winds at the time of the accident were reported from 240 degrees, at 46 knots, with gusts to 51 knots.
Factual narrative
On February 24, 1998, at 2100 central daylight time, a Cessna 172D airplane, N2526U, was substantially damaged following a loss of control while taxing at the El Paso International Airport, El Paso, Texas. The private, instrument rated pilot and the passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from the Fort Stockton-Pecos County Airport, Fort Stockton, Texas, approximately 1715, and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that he landed the airplane on runway 24. While exiting from the active runway onto the taxiway, during high wind conditions, the aircraft was "lifted off the ground and flipped over". The airplane came to rest inverted on the taxiway.
The winds at the time of the accident were reported from 240 degrees, at 46 knots, with gusts to 51 knots.
The FAA inspector who examined the airplane at the site reported that both wing tips were curled. He also observed that the propeller blades were bent.
Attempts to obtain a completed copy of the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), from the pilot, who was reported to have returned to his homeland in Germany, were unsuccessful.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2526U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17250126
- Engine
- Continental O-300, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stefan Bauer
- Registered owner
- Kenneth W. Purvis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FST
- Destination
- ELP
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ELP · El Paso Intl. Airport, runway 22, 11,009 × 150 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
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 286 total · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 240° at 46 knots, gusting 51
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ELP
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 N2526U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.