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GAA15CA036

2015-04-05 · Drexel, Missouri, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N3768A

Make / Model
PIPER PA-22-135
Year of manufacture
1954 · 61 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-290 SERIES (140 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19560213
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A44D86

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while taxiing in unfavorable wind conditions.

Factual narrative

The pilot performed stop and go landings, at a private dirt airstrip. After his third landing, while taxiing to the east for takeoff, the pilot reported encountering several wind gusts that nosed the airplane over. The airstrip is located between two weather reporting stations. Winds for the area were out of the south at fourteen knots with wind gusts at twenty-three knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings, fuselage, and lift struts. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. The pilot performed stop and go landings, at a private dirt airstrip. After his third landing, while taxiing to the east for takeoff, the pilot reported encountering several wind gusts that nosed the airplane over. The airstrip is located between two weather reporting stations. Winds for the area were out of the south at fourteen knots with wind gusts at twenty-three knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings, fuselage, and lift struts. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-(general)-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_GAA15CA036.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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