- Date
- September 16, 2013, 14:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Bozeman, MT
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N4988MPiper PA 11
- Defining event
- Taxi: Roll over
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20130916018899A
- Case key
- 88059
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 failure to maintain aircraft control and inadequate compensation for the high gusty wind conditions during taxi.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that after aborting the takeoff due to an approaching thunderstorm and high wind, while taxiing back to the parking area, a strong wind lifted the airplane. The airplane subsequently nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after aborting the takeoff due to an approaching thunderstorm and high winds, while taxiing back to the parking area, a strong wind lifted the airplane. The airplane subsequently nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4988M
- Reported as
- Piper PA 11 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11-476
- Built
- 1948
- Engine
- Cont Motor C90 SERIES, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KBZN · Bozeman, MT
- Destination
- KBZN · Bozeman, MT
- Airport
- KBZN · Bozeman Yellowstone Internatio
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
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 28,000 total
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 27 knots, gusting 42
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KBZN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 774 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.