IAD96LA066

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 208 · Washington, DC · April 24, 1996

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 23, 1996, 21:41 local (Apr 24, 1996, 01:41 UTC)
Place
Washington, DC
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N776FECessna 208
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Status
Completed · report March 31, 1998
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19960424008069A
Case key
28040

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft while taxiing for takeoff. Related factors were the wet runway and the gusty crosswind.

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.

On ground/water encounter with weatherTaxi - to takeoff
Airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - wetFactor
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Nose downTaxi - to takeoff

Analysis

The pilot stated that after being cleared by the tower to taxi into position and hold on runway 30, the aircraft began to skid on the threshold markings. The right wing raised up and the airplane came to rest on the left wing and propeller. The winds were reported to be out of 300 degrees at 17 knots, with gusts to 30 knots. The airplane continued to skid off the runway onto the overrun. The pilot stated that he felt like he had taken every precaution and that the accident was a result of the gear sliding on the painted surface of the threshold which was slick in spots from an earlier rain storm.

Factual narrative

On April 23, 1996, at about 2141 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 208, N776FE, operated by Mountain Air Cargo, Inc., in Denver, North Carolina, sustained substantial when it tipped onto its left side while taxiing in gusty wind conditions at the Washington Dulles International Airport, in Washington, DC. The pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual Meteorological Conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight plan was filed. The accident occurred while the pilot was taxiing the airplane to runway 30 for departure, with an intended destination of Richmond, Virginia.

The pilot reported: "After being cleared by the tower to taxi into position and hold on runway 30, the aircraft began to skid on the threshold markings causing the airplane to lose traction and the wing to raise up on the right side." He stated the airplane tipped over, coming to rest on the left wing and propeller. He reported that the wind continued to blow the airplane after it tipped, and it skidded off the runway onto the overrun. The pilot stated that the winds were out of 300 degrees at 17 knots, with gusts to 30 knots.

The pilot indicated that he felt like he had taken every precaution and that the cause of the accident was the gear starting to slide on the painted surface which was slick in spots from an earlier rain storm.

Aircraft

Registration
N776FE
Reported as
Cessna 208
Category
Airplane
Serial number
208B0273
Airframe hours
2,869
Engine
P&W PT6A-114A, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 135
Operator
Mountain Air Cargo Inc.
Registered owner
Federal Express Corporation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
AAIP · April 1, 1996 · 28 hours before
Departed
IAD
Destination
RIC · Richmond, VA
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
IAD · Washington Dulles Intl, runway 30, 10,501 × 150 ft, concrete

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
35
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
5,241 total · 2,840 in this make and model · 5,120 as pilot in command · 102 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Wind
300° at 20 knots, gusting 30
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
8,500 ft broken
Temperature
59 °F, dew point 45 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
IAD

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.