On February 19, 1998, a Cessna 172H (registration N1430F) was involved in an aviation accident near St. Petersburg, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: a sudden encounter with wind gusts associated with a quickly passing rain shower which resulted in a nose-over, and subsequent collision with the runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During practice landings with shifting winds, a pilot held short after full-stop landing when a rain shower caused wind gusts to reverse direction, lifting the tail and flipping the airplane inverted.
Accident Details
During a training session involving 29 minutes of practice landings, the pilot experienced shifting airport surface winds, which necessitated three runway changes. Despite these conditions, the pilot reported no difficulties controlling the airplane until after the final full-stop landing. While holding short for taxi clearance back to the fixed-base operator (FBO), a rain shower passed over the field.
Tower personnel reported that wind gusts, approximately two minutes in duration, reversed direction from west to east. The sudden gust lifted the tail of the airplane until its longitudinal axis became vertical, and the airplane was subsequently blown over into an inverted position.
What happened in the 19 Feb 1998 Cessna 172H accident near St. Petersburg, FL?
During practice landings with shifting winds, a pilot held short after full-stop landing when a rain shower caused wind gusts to reverse direction, lifting the tail and flipping the airplane inverted.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 19 Feb 1998 involved a Cessna 172H, registration N1430F, at St. Petersburg, FL.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
a sudden encounter with wind gusts associated with a quickly passing rain shower which resulted in a nose-over, and subsequent collision with the runway.
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