WATKINS, CO, USA
N4037E
Piper PA-18-150
Following landing from a banner tow flight, the pilot was taxiing to parking and headed into the wind when a wind gust lifted the aircraft which then came to rest inverted. Reported wind velocity at the time was 9 knots with gusts to 18 knots.
On September 13, 1998, at 1600 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N4037E, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during taxi at Aurora Air Park, Aurora, Colorado. The commercial pilot was not injured. The flight was a local area banner tow flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to information provided via the pilot report of the accident, the aircraft encountered a wind gust during taxi following landing and nosed over. The pilot said that the aircraft was heading into the wind and he was waiting for wing walkers to assist taxiing back to the hangar when a gust lifted the aircraft. He said he applied power to try and establish control; however, the aircraft rolled to the right and came to rest inverted. The nearest weather reporting facility to the accident site was Denver international Airport, located approximately 6 miles north of Aurora Air Park. At the time of the accident they were reporting winds form 350 degrees magnetic heading at 9 knots with gusts to 18 knots. Terrain between the airports is flat farm land.
Gusting winds which blew the aircraft inverted during taxi.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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