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GAA19CA140

2019-02-12 · Slaton, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport F49

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's complacency, which led to his improper crosswind correction and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground collision.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that following a solo cross-country flight, during landing he became complacent, and did not compensate for the right crosswind. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and crossed over the taxiway and the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the right wing and the stabilator struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and the stabilator. The student reported that the wind about the time of the accident was from 220° at 9 knots. The airplane landed on runway 18. The student reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that, during landing, he became complacent and did not compensate for a right crosswind. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, crossed over the taxiway, and the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the right wing and the stabilator struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and the stabilator. The student reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student reported that the wind about the time of the accident was from 220° at 9 knots. The student landed the airplane on runway 18. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Personality/attitude-Complacency-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Crosswind correction-Not attained/maintained - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2019_GAA19CA140.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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