CHI96LA075

Factual narrative

On January 12, 1995, at 1023 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N6338D, operated by a student pilot on a solo instructional flight, veered off the side of the taxiway and collided with a snowbank at Grand Forks International Airport, Grand Forks, North Dakota. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight which was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was filed. The student reported the accident occurred while he was taxiing the airplane during his second solo flight. He stated he had practiced three or four takeoffs and landings with his instructor in the airplane. The instructor exited the airplane and he performed one takeoff and landing without incident. The student stated that while taxiing on the icy taxiway, a gust of wind caught the airplane's tail and swung it around. The airplane struck a snowbank and the wing and propeller impacted the ground. The student stated that after he landed, he had made the decision not to takeoff again because the wind had increased quite a bit from the time he was flying with his instructor earlier. The student pilot was taxiing on the icy taxiway during his second supervised solo flight. He stated a gust of wind caught the airplane's tail and swung the airplane around. The airplane struck a snowbank, and the wing and propeller impacted the ground. The student pilot later stated that the wind had picked up quite a bit from the time he was out with his instructor to the time of the accident. After landing, he decided not to take off again because the winds had really picked up. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12