What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Curred off runway into trees landing in quartering tailwind. Low time in type unfavorable wind factors. (-23) the accident flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The flight was flown in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and other then wind gusts from the northwest up to 18 knots, weather (sky and ceiling) was not considered to be a factor. The PIC completed a successful landing on runway 20 at Clinton field, (I66). Current winds were approximately 310 degrees at 10 KTS gusting to 18 KTS. This gave the PIC an approximate 90 degree or more right crosswind. There is an additional possibility of the PIC exceeding the crosswind component of the aircraft he was flying. Upon the landing rollout, the PIC lost directional control of the aircraft to the right and departed the runways hard surface. (This deviation in directional control is usually attributed to be a "weather cocking" phenomenon commonly found in conventional gear airplanes). After regaining control of his aircraft but still on the grass next to the runway, the PIC applied full throttle in an attempt to salvage the landing and become airborne. As the tail of the ai rcraft raised the PIC lost directional control again, due to gyroscopic precession and veered to the left, crossing runway 20 at an approximate 35 degree angle. While eventually becoming airborne in ground effect, he continued on this vector across the runway eventually coming to rest approximately 100 feet southeast of its hard surface and cradled in an apple tree in an apple orchard which is cotangent to the airport property. Minor property damage occurred to the landowner's fence and several apple trees. The PIC was not injured. First responders and the county sheriff's trooper were on the scene. The PIC refused any medical treatment at the accident site.
As the FAA filed it
CURRED OFF RUNWAY INTO TREES LANDING IN QUARTERING TAILWIND. LOW TIME IN TYPE UNFAVORABLE WIND FACTORS. (-23) THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT WAS FLOWN IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) AND OTHER THEN WIND GUSTS FROM THE NORTHWEST UP TO 18 KNOTS, WEATHER (SKY AND CEILING) WAS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR. THE PIC COMPLETED A SUCCESSFUL LANDING ON RUNWAY 20 AT CLINTON FIELD, (I66). CURRENT WINDS WERE APPROXIMATELY 310 DEGREES AT 10 KTS GUSTING TO 18 KTS. THIS GAVE THE PIC AN APPROXIMATE 90 DEGREE OR MORE RIGHT CROSSWIND. THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL POSSIBILITY OF THE PIC EXCEEDING THE CROSSWIND COMPONENT OF THE AIRCRAFT HE WAS FLYING. UPON THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE PIC LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAYS HARD SURFACE. (THIS DEVIATION IN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL IS USUALLY ATTRIBUTED TO BE A "WEATHER COCKING" PHENOMENON COMMONLY FOUND IN CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANES). AFTER REGAINING CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT BUT STILL ON THE GRASS NEXT TO THE RUNWAY, THE PIC APPLIED FULL THROTTLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO SALVAGE THE LANDING AND BECOME AIRBORNE. AS THE TAIL OF THE AI RCRAFT RAISED THE PIC LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AGAIN, DUE TO GYROSCOPIC PRECESSION AND VEERED TO THE LEFT, CROSSING RUNWAY 20 AT AN APPROXIMATE 35 DEGREE ANGLE. WHILE EVENTUALLY BECOMING AIRBORNE IN GROUND EFFECT, HE CONTINUED ON THIS VECTOR ACROSS THE RUNWAY EVENTUALLY COMING TO REST APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET SOUTHEAST OF ITS HARD SURFACE AND CRADLED IN AN APPLE TREE IN AN APPLE ORCHARD WHICH IS COTANGENT TO THE AIRPORT PROPERTY. MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE LANDOWNER'S FENCE AND SEVERAL APPLE TREES. THE PIC WAS NOT INJURED. FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S TROOPER WERE ON THE SCENE. THE PIC REFUSED ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.