Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while taxiing in gusty, quartering tailwind conditions.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that while taxiing the airplane in a gusting, quartering tailwind, the airplane veered off the side of the taxiway and into a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.