Event WPR11CA237

Factual narrative

Prior to entering the traffic pattern with the intention to land, the pilot contacted the pilot of an airplane that had just landed to inquire about the wind conditions. The pilot that had landed reported the wind was “a little squirrelly but not bad.” The pilot elected to continue his entry into the traffic pattern and made an uneventful landing. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left and exited the runway colliding with a tree and substantially damaging the left wing. At the time of the accident, the airport was reporting the wind as variable from 140 degrees to 200 degrees at 13 knots, gusting 32 knots. According to the pilot operating handbook, the maximum demonstrated crosswind component of the airplane is 17 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight. Prior to entering the traffic pattern with the intention to land on runway 21, the pilot contacted the pilot of another airplane that had just landed to inquire about the wind conditions. The pilot that previously landed reported the wind was “a little squirrelly but not bad.” The pilot elected to continue his entry into the traffic pattern and made an uneventful landing. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left and exited the runway colliding with a tree and substantially damaging the left wing. At the time of the accident, the airport was reporting the wind as variable from 140 degrees to 200 degrees at 13 knots, gusting 32 knots. According to the pilot operating handbook, the maximum demonstrated crosswind component of the airplane was 17 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight. 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
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Variable wind-Contributed to outcome
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Contributed to outcome
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• F Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - F
• F Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Aircraft capability-Maximum crosswind component-Capability exceeded - F