<< >> NASA ASRS Report 302894, April 1995

Excursion from taxiway - wind gusts catch student and instructor off guard and they go into the grass.

Attributes
ACN	302894
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : wwd
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	302894
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time total : 26
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A student from an out of state FBO had requested to transfer to our school and specifically asked that we begin with a dual cross country. On the day of the cross country, the winds were particularly strong and gusty. Since the flight was dual, and the student had 26 hours and had soloed, I was not particularly concerned. The flight was relatively uneventful. When we began to taxi out for our return trip, the wind caught the student off guard. He applied incorrect control input, and before I could correct the situation, we were in the grass. As a new flight instructor, I quickly came to realize that assumptions can never be made about any student even in taxiing. Be always on guard and leave enough margin so that you can correct any situation from engine start to engine shutdown. As a flight instructor, I know that it is my responsibility to ensure a safe flight, and I will strive to be more vigilant.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EXCURSION FROM TXWY - WIND GUSTS CATCH STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR OFF GUARD AND THEY GO INTO THE GRASS.

Narrative: A STUDENT FROM AN OUT OF STATE FBO HAD REQUESTED TO TRANSFER TO OUR SCHOOL AND SPECIFICALLY ASKED THAT WE BEGIN WITH A DUAL XCOUNTRY. ON THE DAY OF THE XCOUNTRY, THE WINDS WERE PARTICULARLY STRONG AND GUSTY. SINCE THE FLT WAS DUAL, AND THE STUDENT HAD 26 HRS AND HAD SOLOED, I WAS NOT PARTICULARLY CONCERNED. THE FLT WAS RELATIVELY UNEVENTFUL. WHEN WE BEGAN TO TAXI OUT FOR OUR RETURN TRIP, THE WIND CAUGHT THE STUDENT OFF GUARD. HE APPLIED INCORRECT CTL INPUT, AND BEFORE I COULD CORRECT THE SIT, WE WERE IN THE GRASS. AS A NEW FLT INSTRUCTOR, I QUICKLY CAME TO REALIZE THAT ASSUMPTIONS CAN NEVER BE MADE ABOUT ANY STUDENT EVEN IN TAXIING. BE ALWAYS ON GUARD AND LEAVE ENOUGH MARGIN SO THAT YOU CAN CORRECT ANY SIT FROM ENG START TO ENG SHUTDOWN. AS A FLT INSTRUCTOR, I KNOW THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE A SAFE FLT, AND I WILL STRIVE TO BE MORE VIGILANT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.