Originally Posted by
speedrestriction
I was 1 of 2 people who witnessed that incident (unless ATC saw it as well)
Reading that report downplays the incident alot!
I don't believe for one second the pilot was about to turn around and go back to the gate. He was sitting at a hold and was side on to the wind direction. (Im not a pilot so I don't know whether you are supposed to turn into the wind direction when at a hold).
He was sat there for possibly 20-30 seconds when the wind lifted it to a near vertical position onto its wingtip. Weirdly it then looked and sounded like the pilot put some power on (unless it was some odd noise affect of the wind hitting the a/c or props at that angle?) and the a/c pivoted left on its wing tip whilst moving slightly forward, ran into the grass which made the a/c bounce a bit then drop back onto its wheels. It then carried on perpendicular to the taxiway for approx 5m then came to a stop.
I don't think me or my colleague are drama queens but it was only pure luck that it didn't get blown over from the near vertical.
Fair enough nothing did happen and no-one was hurt but it was shocking to witness it and its more shocking to read that report to see it written out like it was no big deal.
It also seems like they have not learnt from that incident at all.