NTSB CAROL · Event
Event CEN25LA325
Registry · N4431U
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
HELIO H-391B
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A55850
Registrant of record
DECHERT BARRY E
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a crosswind.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while landing his tailwheel airplane in a crosswind, the airplane bounced upon touchdown. The right wing lifted, the airplane drifted down the runway on the left wheel, and the airplane exited the runway into the grass. The left wheel dug into the grass and the airplane pivoted. During the accident sequence, the left landing gear separated from the fuselage, and the left wing struck the ground. The left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 03 with wind from 100° at 10 knots gusting 15 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
- — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2025_CEN25LA325.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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