- Date
- March 15, 1986, 15:39 local (23:39 UTC)
- Place
- Apple Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N739GBCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860315006709A
- Case key
- 25092
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
A Cessna 172N nosed over on the taxiway after completing a full stop ldg on the rwy. Winds were reported from 180 deg at 18 KTS gusting to 23 KTS with peak gusts from the se at 31 KTS. UNICOM reported winds from the s at 20 KTS gusting to 30 KTS. The plt had completed his ldg on rwy and was taxiing on the midfield taxiway when a gust wind lifted the tail causing the acft to nose over. The plt also indicated he had the ailerons into the wind and the elevator neutral while taxiing. The midfield taxiway at the point where the accident occurred is perpendicular to the rwy, thus creating a x-wind/tailwind condition based on reported winds.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N739GB
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270522
- Airframe hours
- 1,824
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William E. Span
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 1986 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- P06 · Bullhead City, AZ
- Destination
- APV · Apple Valley, CA
- Airport
- APV · Apple Valley, runway 18, 6,500 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 146 total · 19 in this make and model · 105 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VCV, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.