A "whirlwind" did this?

[pelmet]

"On May 13, 2013, a Cessna 205 was being run up after maintenance by an aeronautical maintenance engineer (AME) on the apron at Anahim Lake

Airport (CAJ4), B.C., when the aircraft flipped over its nose. It was reported that the aircraft had a 5 kt tailwind and was just powering up (about ½ throttle) when a whirlwind gust caught under the tail. The AME was alone on board and was not injured, but the aircraft was substantially damaged. TSB File A13P0080."

Picture part way down on this page.
https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/ ... -6535.html

Anybody else have any "Whirlwind" experiences. This seems kind of extreme for Canada.

[BGH]

The cfs warns pilots about the winds at Anahim Lake,gets interesting when strong winds are blowing out of them hills.

Daryl

[Meatservo]

Well, what else could it have been? A Cessna 205 lacks the power and elevator authority to do a nose-first summersault from a standstill, even with the most experienced AME at the controls.

[grimey]

PDW! Get in here, you might finally have the right answer!

[pelmet]

The cfs warns pilots about the winds at Anahim Lake,gets interesting when strong winds are blowing out of them hills.

Daryl

Could be. But the report says that there was a 5 knot tailwind for the run up. I don't doubt the accuracy of the story but it must have been quite the whirlwind.

[Meddler]

It was either a pretty radical run up or a pretty radical whirlwind. Who knows which.

[Liquid Charlie]

whirlwind is that something like an air pocket

[PilotDAR]

I was nearly flipped in my 150, taxiing at YYZ, behind a south hold, where a 767 was doing an unapproved engine run. That was a lot of moving air! I struggle to imagine a sudden atmospheric event, short of a tornado, which would unexpectedly flip a larger Cessna on the ground.

[iflyforpie]

Yep... you can get some pretty mighty whirlwinds in the BC Interior. The mechanism is the same as a tornado... an extremely localized low pressure system.

I remember one that made our garden shed airborne.

Without proper control inputs in a light aircraft with a tail wind... perfectly possible.

[Shiny Side Up]

I little whirlwind carved a path of destruction across our ramp one day, you could trace a line across the field where it laid its destruction. Damaged all the control surfaces of one of the school planes that was tied down, and tore its anchors loose from the ground, one right in the middle of a line of three, the other two planes were unscathed. turned it 180 degrees in place. Another victim was a cherokee that it picked up right off the ground and dropped it in place after a quarter turn, set off its ELT and all. The last was a 170 that was spun around in place, jumped its chocks, broke its tiedowns, but otherwise had only minor damage to its flaps. Keep in mind there were about 20 airplanes all tied down on the field at the time. I wouldn't have believed it picked up that cherokee, if I didn't see it myself.

[DonutHole]

I have a feeling this is one that happens more often than reported.

It can will and does happen. I always manage my inputs while doing runs for this exact reason.

[kevind]

Saw something like this happen in Alberta. Piper Dakota and 172 parked beside each other. Gust came in, flipped 172 onto its back, Dakota didn't move. I get nervous anytime leaving aircraft not tied down now.

[pdw]

PDW! Get in here, you might finally have the right answer!

Not into wind, left seat heavy and at half power ?

It ends up inverted wings level (as seen in the photo) ... but that is probably not exactly how it flips. My guess, it more-than-likely first tips left and forward, making a tri-pod of the left main, nose-wheel and left wingtip, supplying very steep AOA to all the laminar surfaces to enable the lesser breeze to knock it more easily over. "5kts" (sustained) sounds weak though .... definitely must be a least some kind of a gust involved.

[GyvAir]

Sounds like a reasonable enough synopsis.
As far as "whirlwinds" go, I've seen plenty of them that would be more than adequate to upset a parked Cessna single.

[oldtimer]

Had the same thing happen to me, almost. Nosed in to the hangar door, 20 knots crosswind. Started a 1/2 power runup when the tail of the airplane (Cessna 206) started to rise up and airplane was rolling. Choped power and airplane settled down, no contact, no damage except I had to change my shorts.

[Navajo Flyer]

I like the helicopter accident, above the C205 accident, it experienced a "a severe snowball effect"........

[pdw]

There were two kinds of pilots (have heard it said) one that has experienced an accident and one that hasn't yet.

[Notta Simfalt]

There were two kinds of pilots (have heard it said) one that has experienced an accident and one that hasn't yet.

Wait for it.....

[pelmet]

Thanks for the stories guys. It appears that these "whirlwinds" or perhaps dust devils can be a serious issue. I suspect that there may not be much that can be done for avoidance for an operating aircraft(especially if you don't happen to see it) but any other tips are appreciated including conditions conducive to this phenomenon, ie. when to be particularly worried of this happening.

For non-operating aircraft, tiedowns are the best remedy. Control locks as well.

[DonutHole]

Remember your gust locks.