- Date
- April 1, 1992, 11:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Douglas, AZ
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N28723Piper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920401007889A
- Case key
- 27587
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
An encounter with an unforecasted high velocity wind gust which caused the airplane to nose over to an inverted position.
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 taxiing to a run-up area adjacent to the active runway for a local instructional flight, the pilot reported a 'sudden strong wind gust' occurred that rendered all attempts of cross-controlling the aircraft in a gusty wind condition ineffective. The aircraft subsequently nosed over. Additionally, two witnesses located close to the scene reported an 'extremely strong' wind gust suddenly arose at the time of the accident which reportedly rattled building roofs and threw a pedestrian against a structure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N28723
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-79
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Cochise Community College
- Registered owner
- Cochise Community College
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 23, 1992 · 42 hours before
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- P03 · Cochise College Airport, runway 5, 4,800 × 80 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
- 55
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,981 total · 84 in this make and model · 2,612 as pilot in command · 87 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 23 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DUG, 8 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.