Accident Summary
A pilot reported that during taxi on runway 31, the airplane nosed over after the tail lifted and the propeller struck the pavement. The incident occurred after the airplane had taxied about 50 yards. The pilot stated that he turned the yoke 45 degrees to the right and forward, as the winds were from 100 degrees off the nose to the left. The airplane initially started to roll forward, then the tail began to rise. The tail continued to rise, leading to the propeller striking the pavement. Within seconds, the airplane nosed over onto its back.
Wind Conditions
Wind at the time was reported from 210 degrees at 30 knots, gusting to 40 knots. The pilot characterized the wind as being from 100 degrees off the nose to the left, indicating a left quartering tailwind relative to the taxi direction on runway 31.
Procedural Information
A Cessna taxiing diagram indicated that the proper procedure for taxiing with a left quartering tailwind was with down aileron on the left wing and down elevator. However, neither the Pilot's Operating Handbook nor the Federal Aviation Administration's Flight Training Handbook discussed the technique of turning the yoke only 45 degrees. Both publications indicated that the respective aileron should be moved either up or down, without specifying a precise yoke angle.
The pilot's input of 45 degrees of yoke turn deviated from the documented guidance, which prescribes full aileron deflection rather than a partial turn. The incident highlights the difference between the pilot's technique and the established procedures described in official manuals.