Cochise College Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Douglas, Arizona 85607
Wednesday, April 1, 1992 11:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE TAXIING TO A RUN-UP AREA ADJACENT TO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY FOR A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED A 'SUDDEN STRONG WIND GUST' OCCURRED THAT RENDERED ALL ATTEMPTS OF CROSS-CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT IN A GUSTY WIND CONDITION INEFFECTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER. ADDITIONALLY, TWO WITNESSES LOCATED CLOSE TO THE SCENE REPORTED AN 'EXTREMELY STRONG' WIND GUST SUDDENLY AROSE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WHICH REPORTEDLY RATTLED BUILDING ROOFS AND THREW A PEDESTRIAN AGAINST A STRUCTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENCOUNTER WITH AN UNFORECASTED HIGH VELOCITY WIND GUST WHICH CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE OVER TO AN INVERTED POSITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City DOUGLAS
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85607
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COCHISE COLLEGE AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID P03
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 4120
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1057 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID DUG
Elevation of weather observation facility 4151
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 23
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 29
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2004
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46743
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N28723
NTSB Number LAX92LA158
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-79
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 23 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COCHISE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 100
Aircraft Owner City DOUGLAS
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85607
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COCHISE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 100
Operator City DOUGLAS
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85607
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 4800
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --