CHI98LA117

Factual narrative

On April 5, 1998, at 1200 central daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12-65, N34066, operated by a commercial pilot nosed over while taxing at the Davidson Airport, Vermillion, South Dakota. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight originated from the Vermillion Airport shortly before the accident. The pilot reported that after a 1.5 hour local flight he entered the traffic pattern for runway 12 at the Davidson Airport to assess the wind conditions. He reported the winds were from the south so he elected to land on gravel runway 21. He reported that after landing the main landing gear contacted sand as he was turning around to back taxi on the runway. The pilot reported, "The tail rose and the wind picked it up and turned the aircraft over." The airplane came to rest inverted damaging the propeller, rudder, and one wing strut. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 12, a gravel airstrip. He reported the winds were out of the south at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots. He stated that after landing, the main landing gear contacted sand, while he was making a 180 degree turn to back taxi. The tail of the airplane rose, when the sand was contacted, and the wind caught the tail, resulting in the airplane nosing over. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12