Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mettel Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Connersville, Indiana 47331
Saturday, May 3, 2014 15:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he decided to land at an en route airport to obtain fuel due to a stronger headwind than what was forecast for his route of flight. The pilot made a normal landing to the north and turned west off the runway onto the first taxi. He then made another turn to the north on the taxiway that paralleled the runway. As he taxied beyond a row of trees that were to the west, the upwind wing of the airplane lifted and the airplane flipped inverted. The rudder and left front wing strut were substantially damaged. The pilot stated he was using proper crosswind taxi technique, but was unable to keep the wing down. The wind conditions recorded at an airport located 37 miles away from the airport where the accident occurred were from 290 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 25 knots. The pilot reported the local wind condition at the time of the accident was similar.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inability to control the airplane while taxiing due to a strong crosswind condition.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/3/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1510 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Connersville |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 47331 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 394140N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0850756W |
| Event Location Airport | Mettel Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CEV |
| 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 | 866 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 258 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GEZ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 803 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 37 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 16 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 25 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.86 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32842 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 22 2014 5:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sulp |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6245H |
| NTSB Number | CEN14CA231 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Unknown |
| Aircraft Explosion | Unknown |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | J3C 65 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 65 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 19419 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1220 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 6 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 17 |
| Airframe Hours | 3467 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DUNCAN RICHARD N |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | MECHANICSBURG |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 170507330 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Lewis Arenzana |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Mechanicsburg |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 17050 |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CDI |
| Departure City | Cambridge |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1040 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | CEV |
| Destination City | Connersville |
| Destination State | IN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 11 2014 3:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sulp |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 6503 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |