N2848U

On October 22, 1995, at 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 172D, N2848U, was substantially damaged following a loss of control while taxiing for takeoff near Pryor, Oklahoma. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The proposed cross country flight to Ada, Oklahoma, was originating at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight for which a flight plan was not filed.

According to the pilot, the airplane was taxied on the east-west taxiway for a Runway 17 departure from the Mid-America Industrial Airport. While executing a turn to taxi onto the runway, "a gust of wind stood the airplane on its nose, left wing, and left main tire," for approximately 10 minutes. The pilot and his two passengers evacuated the airplane and attempted to no avail to set the aircraft back on the ground or secure it to prevent it from going over to the inverted position. A subsequent gust of wind pushed the airplane to the inverted position, where it came to rest.

The fuselage was buckled, both wings were wrinkled, and the vertical stabilizer sustained structural damage. At the time of the accident, the winds in Tulsa, Oklahoma, (22 miles to the west of the accident site) were reported from 180 degrees at 24 knots, gusting to 31 knots.

The pilot, who was certificated as a private pilot on March 23, 1995, stated that he received a weather briefing an hour prior to the accident.