# NTSB IAD96LA066: Cessna 208, N776FE, Washington, DC, April 24, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 23, 1996, 21:41 local (Apr 24, 1996, 01:41 UTC) - Place: Washington, DC - Location: 38.9475° N, 77.4599° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at WASHINGTON DULLES INTL (IAD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9475&lon=-77.4599&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 31, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28040 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD96LA066 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28040/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA066 ## 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 In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with weather, taxi - to takeoff - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - wet (contributing factor) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Nose down, taxi - 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 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 208 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 208B0273 - Airframe hours: 2869 - Engines: 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. - Pilot; age 35; 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960424008069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960424008069A), Apr 24, 1996: Cessna 208B, Chantilly, VA, Substantial damage. Aircraft was taxiing for departure on runway when a strong gust of wind blew the aircraft on its left side. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.