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ERA15CA045

2014-10-25 · Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport VKS

Current FAA registration · N4212S

Make / Model
BEECH V35B
Year of manufacture
1976 · 38 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES (285 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A50205

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in variable wind conditions, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with an object.

Factual narrative

As the pilot entered the traffic pattern at the destination airport, the reported wind was variable in direction at a speed of about 5 knots. He also observed that the airport windsock was shifting variably by 180 degrees. The pilot conducted the final approach to the runway with right wind correction applied, but just before touchdown, the wind suddenly shifted to the left, and the airplane oriented right of the runway centerline. The pilot elected to continue rather than abort the landing, and the airplane touched down partially pointed right of the runway centerline. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway, and before the pilot could correct the airplane's track, the right wing stuck a precision approach path indicator light, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. As the pilot entered the traffic pattern at the destination airport, the reported wind was variable in direction at a speed of about 5 knots. He also observed that the airport windsock was shifting variably by 180 degrees. The pilot conducted the final approach to the runway with right wind correction applied, but just before touchdown, the wind suddenly shifted to the left, and the airplane oriented right of the runway centerline. The pilot elected to continue rather than abort the landing, and the airplane touched down partially pointed right of the runway centerline. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway, and before the pilot could correct the airplane's track, the right wing stuck a precision approach path indicator light, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. 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-Variable wind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_ERA15CA045.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (runway excursion). All research papers