Incident Details
The pilot reported that after landing on dirt runway 33 at Canyonlands Field Airport in Moab, Utah, he began a back-taxi along the same runway. Approximately 700 feet into the back-taxi, the nose wheel encountered a soft spot of sand. In response, the pilot added power to coax the airplane through the soft area. This action caused the tail to rise, and the airplane subsequently nosed over completely onto its back.
Pilot Report
In a written statement, the pilot described the sequence of events leading to the accident. He indicated that the landing itself was uneventful, with winds from 320 degrees at 24 knots gusting to 30 knots. The back-taxi proceeded normally until the nose wheel contacted the soft sand. The pilot's decision to add power to traverse the soft spot inadvertently resulted in the tail lifting and the airplane overturning.
Weather Conditions
At 1553 mountain daylight time, the recorded winds at Canyonlands Field Airport were from 320 degrees at 19 knots with gusts to 29 knots. These conditions were consistent with the pilot's report of gusty winds, though slightly lower in magnitude than his stated landing winds. No other weather factors were mentioned in the report.
No injuries or damage were reported by the pilot, and no other aircraft or personnel were involved.