No fatalities

16 Sep 2013: PIPER PA 11 NO SERIES — Bozeman, MT

Bozeman, MT, United States

On 16 Sep 2013, a PIPER PA 11 NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Bozeman, MT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and inadequate compensation for the high gusty wind conditions during taxi. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot aborted takeoff due to an approaching thunderstorm and high winds. While taxiing back, a strong wind lifted the airplane, causing it to nose over and sustain substantial damage.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that during a taxi return after aborting a takeoff due to an approaching thunderstorm and high winds, a strong wind lifted the airplane. The airplane subsequently nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder.

Flight Events

The takeoff was aborted because of weather conditions, specifically an approaching thunderstorm and high winds. After aborting, the pilot began taxiing back to the parking area. During this taxi, a strong wind impacted the airplane, causing it to become airborne briefly and then nose over.

Damage Assessment

The nose-over event caused substantial damage to multiple components of the airplane: the wings, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The extent of the damage indicates significant structural impact.

Mechanical Condition

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was functioning normally prior to the wind event.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

High wind