- Date
- April 5, 2015, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Drexel, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N3768APiper PA 22-135
- Defining event
- Taxi-into takeoff position: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 9, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
- FAA report
- 20150405005389A
- Case key
- 91001
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 airplane control while taxiing in unfavorable wind conditions.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot performed stop and go landings, at a private dirt airstrip. After his third landing, while taxiing to the east for takeoff, the pilot reported encountering several wind gusts that nosed the airplane over. The airstrip is located between two weather reporting stations. Winds for the area were out of the south at fourteen knots with wind gusts at twenty-three knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings, fuselage, and lift struts. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot performed stop and go landings, at a private dirt airstrip. After his third landing, while taxiing to the east for takeoff, the pilot reported encountering several wind gusts that nosed the airplane over. The airstrip is located between two weather reporting stations. Winds for the area were out of the south at fourteen knots with wind gusts at twenty-three knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings, fuselage, and lift struts. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3768A
- Reported as
- Piper PA 22-135 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-2010
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 953
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D2, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Shannon, Randal S. Shannon, Melissa J.
- Registered owner
- Shannon, Randal S. Shannon, Melissa J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 17, 2015 · 77 hours before
- Departed
- Drexel, MO
- Destination
- Drexel, MO
- Airport
- runway 09, 1,000 × 40 ft, dirt
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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 21, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 192.8 total · 113 in this make and model · 179 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 9.3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KGLY, 40 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.