Cessna 140 accident near Colebrook, New Hampshire, April 10, 2014
On April 10, 2014 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1947 Cessna 140, registered N2143N, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Colebrook, New Hampshire (Gifford Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to power out of soft snow with a gusty quartering tailwind which resulted in the tail of the airplane rising and the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2014 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Colebrook, New Hampshire · Gifford Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140, built 1947 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2143N · registry record · serial 12379
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the private pilot, after landing, a 180 degree turn was required to back taxi on the runway. During the turn, the main landing gear encountered soft snow at the edge of the runway, and began to sink further into the snow. The pilot increased engine power to return the airplane to the center of the runway; however, the tail of the airplane began to rise and the strong quartering tailwind continued to nose the airplane over which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing strut and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported the wind, at the time of the accident, was approximately 220 degrees at 15 knots with gusts up to 20 knots. He further reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi (from runway)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during taxi (from runway)
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (from runway)
- Nose over/nose down during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 252 hours in all; 157 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 30, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,681 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 2013; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,601 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4C4 Colebrook NH
- Destination: 4C4 Colebrook NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,466 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from KBML, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 1, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Email from Pilot on No Mechanical | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Record - Berlin Municipal Airport | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1. Aircraft at Rest | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.