Incident Details
A tailwheel-equipped airplane was being taxied toward the centerline of runway 34R when it unexpectedly turned to the left, nosed down, and came to rest balanced on its left main landing gear, left wing tip, and propeller spinner. After the nose-down event, the pilot exited the airplane and attempted to hold it steady, but a wind gust blew the airplane over onto its back. The airplane remained inverted at the scene.
Weather Conditions
The pilot reported that at the time of the accident, winds were from 280 to 310 degrees at approximately 20 to 25 knots with gusts to 30 knots. Seven minutes before the accident, at 1353, the recorded winds at the airport were from a true heading of 300 degrees at 24 knots with gusts to 31 knots. For runway 34R, which has a true heading of 352 degrees, the crosswind component with a wind from 300 degrees at 30 knots was calculated to be 23 knots. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook for the airplane, the maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity was 12 knots.
Pilot Statements
The pilot stated that the left turn occurred because a wind gust hit the airplane and spun it counterclockwise. He further indicated that the accident could have been prevented by selecting a runway that more closely aligns with the prevailing winds. No other causal factors were identified in the available information.