NTSB CEN23LA378 — 2023-08-22 · Cleburne, Texas, United States

Current FAA registration · N6581H

Make / Model: PIPER J4A
Year of manufacture: 1939 · 84 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR C85 SERIES (85 hp)
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 20050126
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A8ACF5

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N6581H Piper J4 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusty crosswind conditions.

Factual narrative

While landing to runway 15 in gusty wind conditions, the pilot lost control of the tailwheel equipped airplane, it nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and lift strut. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures which would have precluded normal operation. The wind at the time of the accident was 100° at 13 knots with gusts to 20 knots. The calculated crosswind component was between 10 and 15 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
— Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_CEN23LA378.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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