- Date
- June 23, 1996, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Byron, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N8221Mini Ace CA61-F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960623014989A
- Case key
- 29481
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 pilot's encounter with a sudden crosswind gust beyond the capabilities of the aircraft.
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
The pilot reported that he was taxiing to the aircraft's tiedown spot following landing when a sudden left crosswind gust he estimated at 40 knots blew the aircraft over.
Factual narrative
On June 23, 1996, at 1530 hours Pacific daylight time, a homebuilt experimental Mini Ace CA61-F, N8221, was blown over during taxi at a private ranch airstrip near Byron, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the student pilot for a local area solo instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at the private airstrip about 1450 on the day of the occurrence.
The pilot reported that he was taxiing to the aircraft's tiedown spot following landing when a sudden left crosswind gust he estimated at 40 knots blew the aircraft over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8221
- Reported as
- Mini Ace CA61-F
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- DHF-001
- Airframe hours
- 460
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Brenford G. Coulter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 1996 · 6 hours before
- Airport
- Private Airstrip, runway 18, 2,000 × 18 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
- 58
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 87 total · 4 in this make and model · 47 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.