N3224Q

On April 8, 2009, approximately 1000 mountain standard time, a Beech A36, N3224Q, sustained substantial damage when it veered off the runway during the landing roll and impacted bushes at Eagle Airpark, Bullhead City, Arizona. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight. The personal flight originated from Chino, California, approximately 1 hour before the accident.

As the flight approached Eagle Airpark, the pilot listened to the automated surface observation station weather from Needles Airport, Needles, California, located about 7 nautical miles north of Eagle Airpark. According to the pilot, the wind at Needles was "out of the northwest at 10 mph gusting to 15." The pilot reported that he flew over the Eagle Airpark to determine present wind and any unusual conditions at the airport. He determined that "the winds were as reported at Needles."

The pilot stated that the final approach to runway 35 "appeared normal," and he "noticed a crosswind presence." The "airplane was responding as usual, and there was no indication of severe gusting or any unusual wind condition." The pilot stated that as the airplane touched down, "an extreme unpredictable northwest dust devil and/or whirlwind hit the front of my airplane causing the airplane to veer to the right." The airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted bushes about 5 to 10 feet from the edge of the runway. The nose landing gear and left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing tip fuel tank and left aileron were bent and wrinkled.

Recorded data from Needles Airport's automated surface observation station indicated that at 0856 the wind was from 270 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 18 knots. At 0956, the wind at Needles was from 300 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 22 knots. At 1056, the wind at Needles was from 300 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 20 knots.