Estherville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Estherville, Iowa 51334
Tuesady, February 11, 2003 15:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over while taxiing during high wind conditions. The winds recorded about 22 miles northeast of the airport were 330 degrees at 40 knots. The pilot reported he landed safely and began taxiing slowly toward a hangar while applying "full wind correction" of the flight controls. He taxied onto the grass so that he could taxi to the hangar with a quartering headwind. He reported there was snow on the grass and the "wind was making us skid a little," and about "100 feet from the runway we slowly went up on our nose causing a prop strike," and "then we went over."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot failed to maintain adequate control of the airplane while taxiing in high wind conditions. A factor was the high winds.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/11/2003
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Estherville
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 51334
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 432426N
Event Location Longitude 0944447W
Event Location Airport Estherville Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EST
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1317
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1515 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID FRM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1162
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 40
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.82
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14174
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Feb 11 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1625
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-Des Moines FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3455U
NTSB Number CHI03LA068
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18254855
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 11 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 3371
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Scott Benjamin
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1378 320th Ave.
Aircraft Owner City Estherville
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 51334
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D02
Departure City OSAGE
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EST
Destination City ESTHERVILLE
Destination State IA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 11 2003 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --