ERA10CA448

Factual narrative

According to the accident pilot, he canceled his instrument flight rules flight plan and contacted his destination airport UNICOM radio frequency for airport information. The winds were reported at 100 degrees at 8 knots. The accident pilot overheard a light-sport pilot on the frequency, stating he was conducting touch and go landings on runway 1. He contacted the light-sport pilot and questioned the use of the runway. The light-sport pilot replied "it's a direct crosswind, it's not that bad." The accident pilot heard another pilot report entering the traffic pattern for landing on runway 1 and the accident pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 1, then completed the before landing checks. The airplane touched down on the runway and was on landing roll out. The pilot stated a gust of wind from the right rear lifted the tail of the airplane up and the airplane veered to the left. The surface weather observation system at the destination airport at the time of the accident was not reporting any wind gusts. In addition, the airport manager stated there were no wind gusts present at the time of the accident. A witness stated that the airplane was about 6 to 7 feet off the runway. The wings were rocking from right to left, and the crosswind was pushing the airplane across the runway to the left. The accident pilot stated that when the airplane started veering to the left he applied right rudder and left aileron, which had no effect. The airplane went off the left side of the runway into the grass and nosed over inverted. The airplane sustained structural damage to the airframe and the pilot reported no preexisting mechanical problems with the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly or accessories. According to the accident pilot, the wind was reported to be from 100 degrees at 8 knots. Another pilot announced over the common radio frequency that he was conducting touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings on runway 01, which had a direct crosswind. The accident pilot maneuvered the airplane onto the traffic pattern and completed the before landing checks. The airplane touched down on the runway and during the landing roll out a gust of wind from the right rear lifted the tail of the airplane up and the airplane veered to the left. The airplane continued off the runway into the grass and nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the airframe and the pilot reported no preexisting mechanical problems with the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly or accessories. The surface weather observation system at the destination airport at the time of the accident was not reporting any wind gusts. In addition, the airport manager stated that there were no wind gusts present at the time of the accident. A witness stated that he observed the airplane about 6 feet above the runway with the wings rocking from right to left and the crosswind was pushing the airplane across the runway to the left. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

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