Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper flare during a gusty, crosswind landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
According to the pilot, the airplane was approaching the runway with 20-degrees flaps. Winds reported about that time were 50 degrees from the right at 9, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot crabbed the airplane into the wind until about 50 feet above the runway, when he straightened the nose with left rudder and right aileron. The pilot then felt a gust of wind under the right wing, and corrected to maintain wings level. The right main landing gear touched down first, followed by a nose landing gear collapse with damage to the engine firewall. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA14CA078