No fatalities

6 Apr 2014: PIPER PA 18-150 — Bethel, ME

Bethel, ME, United States

On 6 Apr 2014, a PIPER PA 18-150 was involved in an aviation accident near Bethel, ME. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while taxiing after landing during gusty wind conditions. 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 tailwheel airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted after a gust of wind lifted its tail during a back taxi turn on runway 32. Substantial damage occurred to the fuselage, rudder, and right wing.

Accident Overview

A tailwheel-equipped airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over and came to rest inverted during a back taxi maneuver on the runway. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Flight Details

According to the pilot, the airplane landed on runway 32 with a left quartering headwind. After stopping, the pilot initiated a turn to back taxi and exit the runway. To keep the tail down during the turn, the pilot pushed the control stick forward. However, during the turn, a gust of wind lifted the tail, causing the airplane to nose over and come to rest inverted.

Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, rudder, and right wing. No other damage was reported.

Weather

The wind reported at the airport around the time of the accident was from 320 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 24 knots.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation