Summary
On May 11, 2012, a Boeing A75N1(PT17) (N71327) was involved in an incident near Weirsdale, FL. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in a gusty variable crosswind.
The pilot of the tailwheel airplane was performing a landing to runway 9, a 2,500-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, turf runway. During the landing, the wind was gusting up to 18 knots from varying directions. The wind was initially a headwind, then a left crosswind, and then a right crosswind. As the airplane touched down, a gust of wind caused the airplane to drift left off of the runway. The airplane traveled down an embankment, struck a tree, and came to rest nose down. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the wings and right horizontal stabilizer.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA12CA334. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N71327.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in a gusty variable crosswind.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel airplane was performing a landing to runway 9, a 2,500-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, turf runway. During the landing, the wind was gusting up to 18 knots from varying directions. The wind was initially a headwind, then a left crosswind, and then a right crosswind. As the airplane touched down, a gust of wind caused the airplane to drift left off of the runway. The airplane traveled down an embankment, struck a tree, and came to rest nose down. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the wings and right horizontal stabilizer. The recorded wind at an airport located about 10 miles southeast of the accident site, about 20 minutes after the accident, was from 110 degrees at 10 knots.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA12CA334