# NTSB LAX95LA025: Cessna 172F, N8210U, Tonopah, NV, October 31, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 30, 1994, 16:45 local (Oct 31, 1994, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Tonopah, NV - Coordinates: 38.359039, -116.26078 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3590&lon=-116.2608&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 5, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28975 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA025 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28975/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA025 ## Probable cause the pilot's excessive taxi speed and improper remedial action after the nose gear began to shimmy. The nose gear shimmy (nose gear vibration) and the berm were factors in this accident. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, taxi - to takeoff - landing gear,nose gear - vibration (contributing factor) - taxispeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - improper, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - to takeoff - terrain condition - berm (contributing factor) - Nose over, taxi - to takeoff ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS TAXIING IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION WITH A RIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND. HE SAID HE TRIED TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE'S TAXI SPEED SLOW AND WAS APPLYING MINIMUM POWER WITH THE CONTROL YOKE FORWQRD (ELEVATOR DOWN). WHILE TAXIING, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE LANDING GEAR BEGAN TO SHIMMY. THE PILOT PULLED THE CONTROL YOKE BACK AND APPLIED BRAKING TO CORRECT THE NOSE SHIMMY. HE SAID THAT THE WIND RAISED THE TAIL AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO 'WHEELBARROW' ON THE NOSEGEAR AND TURNED TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE TAXIWAY AND ENTERED ONTO THE SOFT DIRT NEXT TO THE TAXIWAY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A BERM AND NOSED OVER. ## Factual narrative On October 30, 1994, at 1645 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172F, N8210U, lost control, exited the taxiway, and nosed over while taxiing for takeoff on runway 33 at Tonopah Airport, Tonopah, Nevada. The pilot was beginning the second leg of a visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. Neither the certificated private pilot nor his passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. National Transportation Safety Board investigators conducted a telephone interview with the pilot on October 30, 1994. The pilot said that as the airplane approached the runway threshold a gust of wind "blew it off the taxiway." When the nose gear entered the soft terrain, it dug into the ground and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said in the aircraft accident report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that he was taxiing in a southeasterly direction with a left quartering tailwind. He said he tried to keep the airplane's taxi slow and was applying minimum power with the control yoke forward (elevator down). While taxiing, the airplane's nose landing gear began to shimmy. The pilot pulled the control yoke back and applied braking to correct the nose shimmy. He said that the wind raised the tail and the airplane began to "wheelbarrow" on the nosegear and turned to the left. The airplane exited the taxiway and entered onto the soft dirt next to the taxiway. The airplane collided with a berm and nosed over. The Tonopah Airport surface winds at 1650 hours were from 290 degrees at 10 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8210U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8210U-1998-09-30), registration cancelled 1998-09-30, S/N 17252110 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172F - Registry model: [Cessna 172F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172f) (registry code 2072414) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17252110 - Airframe hours: 5411 - Engines: LYCOMING O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: William L. Wells - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 15, 1994, 16 hours before - Departed: TPH - Destination: WVI, WATSONVILLE, CA - Airport: TPH, Tonopah, runway 33, 6,162 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 798 total, 748 in this make and model, 736 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 10 knots - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TPH ## 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 19941030036929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941030036929A), Oct 30, 1994: Cessna 172F, Tonopah, NV, Substantial damage. Veered off taxiway into mud. Nosed over. Blamed a wind gust. Unverified. 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.