- Date
- September 27, 2013, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Dell, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N53WYAviat A-1C-200
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130927018469A
- Case key
- 88149
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 directional control while taxiing in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 4
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 while transitioning from the landing roll, to taxi, on a gravel road with a 12- to 15-knot tailwind, a gust of wind lifted the tail. The airplane rotated and the left wing collided with a fence. The left wing and its associated lift strut were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while transitioning from the landing roll, to taxi, on a gravel road with a 12- to 15-knot tailwind, a gust of wind lifted the tail. The airplane rotated and the left wing collided with a fence. The left wing and its associated lift strut were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53WY
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1C-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3084
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 113
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1D6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 25, 2013
- Departed
- KRXE · Rexburg, ID
- Destination
- Dell, MT
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,800 total · 190 in this make and model · 2,730 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KDLN, 32 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 18, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 MB 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.
Other investigations on N53WY · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.