- Date
- June 28, 2015, 13:32 local (19:32 UTC)
- Place
- Durango, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N170MWCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Taxi: Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150628008989A
- Case key
- 91518
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 decision to taxi behind a turbojet airplane into jet blast, which resulted in the airplane being blown off an active taxiway and flipped upside down onto terrain.
Findings · 4
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 of the single engine airplane reported that while taxiing to his hangar after landing, a regional jet was stopped on the active taxiway blocking his intended path. The pilot of the airplane radioed over the common traffic advisory frequency and asked the regional jet to, "move up so he could taxi behind", in order to proceed to his hangar. The jet Captain responded with "Standby" and then rolled forward and stopped. The pilot of the airplane continued his taxi, but as the airplane approached the rear of the jet, the jet blast blew the airplane off the taxiway and flipped the airplane upside down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, and the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to or during flight that would have precluded normal operation. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Aeronautical Information Manual, section 7-3-1(b) states, "During ground operations and during takeoff, jet engine blast (thrust stream turbulence) can cause damage and upsets if encountered at close range. Exhaust velocity versus distance studies at various thrust levels have shown a need for light aircraft to maintain an adequate separation behind large turbojet aircraft. Pilots of larger aircraft should be particularly careful to consider the effects of their "jet blast" on other aircraft, vehicles, and maintenance equipment during ground operations."
Factual narrative
The pilot of the single engine airplane reported that while taxiing to his hangar after landing, a regional jet was stopped on the active taxiway blocking his intended path. The pilot of the airplane radioed over the common traffic advisory frequency and asked the regional jet to, "move up so he could taxi behind", in order to proceed to his hangar. The jet Captain responded with "Standby" and then rolled forward and stopped. The pilot of the airplane continued his taxi, but as the airplane approached the rear of the jet, the jet blast blew the airplane off the taxiway and flipped the airplane upside down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, and the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to or during flight that would have precluded normal operation. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Aeronautical Information Manual, section 7-3-1(b) states, "During ground operations and during takeoff, jet engine blast (thrust stream turbulence) can cause damage and upsets if encountered at close range. Exhaust velocity versus distance studies at various thrust levels have shown a need for light aircraft to maintain an adequate separation behind large turbojet aircraft. Pilots of larger aircraft should be particularly careful to consider the effects of their "jet blast" on other aircraft, vehicles, and maintenance equipment during ground operations."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N170MW
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25411
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 4,141.1
- Engine
- Cont Motor C145 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 24, 2015 · 100 hours before
- Departed
- 00C · Durango, CO
- Destination
- DRO · Durango, CO
- Airport
- DRO · Durango-La Plata County, runway 21, 9,201 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 6, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 400 in this make and model · 2,500 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.30 inHg
- Observed at
- DRO
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 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.