ERA12CA485

Factual narrative

The pilot stated he departed on a visual flight rules local flight. He returned to the airport and entered closed traffic for landing. During the landing flare, he lost directional control of the airplane due to a cross wind. The aircraft departed the left side of the runway and collided with the ground. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the fuselage. Wind gusts of 14 knots were reported at the time of the accident. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot stated that, during the landing flare, he lost directional control of the airplane due to a crosswind. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and collided with the ground, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported a variable-direction wind of 5 knots, gusting to 14 knots. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. 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
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Response/compensation
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Response/compensation