- Date
- January 10, 2018, 18:45 local (Jan 11, 2018, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Rock Springs, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N561UPSwearingen SA227
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180110000609A
- Case key
- 96592
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 directional control while taxiing in gusting tailwind conditions.
Findings · 5
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 reported that, while taxiing with a tailwind, he realized that the airplane was moving too fast and that he then applied brakes and reverse engine thrust. He added that he attempted to turn the airplane but was unable to do so and that a strong crosswind "forced" the airplane to the left and off the airport parking ramp. Subsequently, the airplane struck a lamp post and came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 21 knots, gusting to 27 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while taxing with a tailwind, he realized the airplane was moving too fast and applied brakes and reverse thrust of the engines. He added that he attempted to turn but was unable, and a strong crosswind "forced" the airplane to the left and off of the airport parking ramp. Subsequently, the airplane struck a lamp post and came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located at the accident airport reported, that about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 21 knots, gusting to 27 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N561UP
- Reported as
- Swearingen SA227 (AT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AT-561
- Built
- 1983
- Airframe hours
- 23,398.8
- Engines
- Airesearch TPE331 SERIES, turbo propAiresearch TPE331 SERIES, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Ameriflight, LLC
- Registered owner
- Uas Transervices, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 8, 2018
- Departed
- SLC · Salt Lake City, UT
- Destination
- RKS · Rock Springs, WY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- RKS · Rock Springs-Sweetwater County
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator
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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 12, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 6,650 total · 360 in this make and model · 4,985 as pilot in command · 96 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 280° at 21 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- KRKS, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 5, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.