Grand Forks International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Forks, North Dakota 58201
Friday, January 12, 1996 10:23 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while taxiing. Factors in the accident were the icy condition of the taxiway and the high gusting wind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/12/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1023
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GRAND FORKS
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58201
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GRAND FORKS INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GFK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 844
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1023 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 844
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 23
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 13 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 29
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6338D
NTSB Number CHI96LA075
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17272724
Certified Max Gross Weight 22300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 19 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 7763
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT SUPPORT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2467 AIR CARGO DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City GRAND FORKS
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58203
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name B & B PARTNERSHIP
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 5159
Operator City GRAND FORKS
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58206
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code GFK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --