Event GAA19CA163

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, the tail "lifted back up" due to a "wind gust", the airplane veered left, spun, exited the runway and the right wing impacted the muddy terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the wind was light and variable at 5 knots. An automated weather observation station, located about 15 nautical miles from the accident site, about 30 minutes prior to the accident, reported the wind was from 150° at 4 knots and about 30 minutes after the accident, reported the wind was from 120° at 5 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 30. The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, the tail "lifted back up" due to a "wind gust" and that the airplane then veered left, spun, exited the runway, and the right wing impacted muddy terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the wind was light and variable at 5 knots. An automated weather observation station located about 15 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 30 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 150° at 4 knots and that, about 30 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 120° at 5 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 30. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or 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