LAX99TA043

Factual narrative

On December 4, 1998, at 0930 hours Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-18-150, N82325, encountered a wind gust while taxiing and nosed over at the Imperial County, California, airport. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The public-use aircraft was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 by the U.S. Department of Justice/Border Patrol. The local flight originated at the Imperial Airport at 0510 and was terminating at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he landed on runway 26. As he turned onto the taxiway, a wind gust got under the upwind wing and the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airport weather facility reported that the winds were from 250 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 25 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot did not report experiencing any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident. The pilot reported that he landed on runway 26, and as he turned onto the taxiway, a wind gust got under the upwind wing. The aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airport weather facility reported that the winds were from 250 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 25 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12