Wind Gust Causes Loss of Control During Taxi After Landing (N4769U)

What happened

The aircraft was conducting a routine landing operation. Upon completing the landing roll, the pilot initiated deceleration procedures and retracted the flaps as speed decreased. The pilot then executed a turn off the active runway onto an adjacent taxiway.

During this ground maneuver, a sudden gust of wind struck the aircraft. The force of the wind lifted the airplane off the ground and rotated it 90 degrees to the left. The pilot attempted to regain control but was unable to prevent the aircraft from skidding across the terrain. The airplane eventually came to rest in a drainage ditch. Reports indicated that dust devils were present in the vicinity of the airport at the time of the incident.

Findings

The primary factor contributing to the accident was the loss of control during ground operations due to strong wind gusts. The presence of dust devils suggested unstable atmospheric conditions that can produce unpredictable wind shear and sudden changes in wind direction and velocity.