- Date
- October 20, 2007, 15:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Daggett, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N5323DCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20071020827879A
- Case key
- 66932
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 flight's encounter with a strong gusty wind condition.
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.
Analysis
While turning onto a taxiway from the runway, the airplane was struck by a gust of wind that flipped the airplane over onto its back. The pilot had diverted to an alternate airport after encountering severe turbulence and strong winds during cruise flight. The pilot checked the weather on ATIS at the alternate airport and noted the winds were from 250 degrees at 34 knots. The flight was cleared to land on runway 26; the landing was normal. As the pilot turned the airplane onto the taxiway a gust of wind struck the airplane. Airport personnel noted the winds were from 220 degrees at 35 knots gusting to 50 knots.
Factual narrative
In the pilot's written statement he reported that both pilots had planned a round robin cross-country flight from El Monte Airport (EMT), El Monte, California, to Kingman Airport (IGM), Kingman, Arizona, in order to build flight time; they had just both received their private pilot certificates about a month prior to the accident flight. They received weather information from DUAT's and departed EMT at 0600 Pacific daylight time. The flight reached IGM about 0900, they refueled the airplane, and took off about 1345. While at IGM, they checked the winds aloft and noted the winds were from 230 degrees at 25 knots.
There were no problems with the flight until Hector VOR, where they said they encountered "severe turbulence." The pilot stated that he was not able to maintain the heading or altitude, and a dust storm was in the area. They decided divert to the Barstow-Daggett Airport (DAG), Daggett, California, and not chance a flight through the Cajon Pass where there was the possibility of severe downdrafts over the mountains.
The pilot stated that he checked the ATIS at DAG and noted that the winds were 250 degrees at 34 knots. The tower controller at DAG cleared the pilot to land on runway 26. The landing was normal, and the flight was cleared off the active runway. The pilot taxied the airplane to the taxiway and stopped to look at the "signboard showing [the] directions for parking." At that point the airplane was struck by a strong gust wind and flipped over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with airplane.
According to DAG airport personnel, the winds were from 220 degrees at 35 knots gusting to 50 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5323D
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272518
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Universal Aviators Academy, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- IGM · Kingman, AZ
- Destination
- EMT · El Monte, CA
- Airport
- DAG · Barstow-Daggett, runway 26, 6,400 × 150 ft, asphalt
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2007
- Flight hours
- 149 total · 149 in this make and model · 54 as pilot in command · 149 in the last 90 days · 54 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1
- Flight hours
- 130 total · 130 in this make and model · 35 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 34 knots, gusting 50
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- DAG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.