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GAA16CA033

2015-10-23 · Millbrook, New York, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 44N

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's loss of heading control during the go-around in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing flare he encountered "wind shear" and crosswind conditions. About 10 feet above the runway, the airplane ballooned and the nose rotated 30 degrees to the left. He added full power to go-around, but the airplane drifted to the left of the runway and the left wing impacted a tree. Subsequently, the airplane spun around 180 degrees and came to rest in grass to the left of the runway. The fuselage and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A routine aviation weather report 8 nautical miles southwest of the airport reported the wind at 020 degrees true at 13 knots gusting to 17 knots, and clear skies. The landing runway heading was 350 degrees magnetic, which resulted in a 10 knot crosswind component. The pilot reported that during the landing flare he encountered "wind shear" and crosswind conditions. About 10 feet above the runway, the airplane ballooned and the nose rotated 30 degrees to the left. He added full power to go-around, but the airplane drifted to the left of the runway and the left wing impacted a tree. Subsequently, the airplane spun around 180 degrees and came to rest in grass to the left of the runway. The fuselage and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A routine aviation weather report 8 nautical miles southwest of the airport reported the wind at 020 degrees true at 13 knots gusting to 17 knots, and clear skies. The landing runway heading was 350 degrees magnetic, which resulted in a 10 knot crosswind component.  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-Heading/course-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Climb rate-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_GAA16CA033.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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