What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 29, 1998, at 1120 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172P, N9821L was substantially damaged during a crosswind landing to runway 02 at Robertson Field Airport (4B8), planiville, Connecticut. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated from newport, rhode island, approximately 1025. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to the pilot; upon reaching 4B8, he did a midfield fly over to establish the winds. The winds were determined to be a direct crosswind for runway 02/20. After entering the traffic pattern and positioning the airplane on final for runwaya 02, he executed a go around at 200 feet abouve ground level (AGL) because of an excessive lateral drift. On his second attempt to land at 4B8, he established the airplane on final with 20 degrees of flaps and 65 knots of airspeed. He touched down ok then the airplane started to float, approximatley 3 feet abouve the runway. The airplane then departed the runway with the nose pointed slightly right of centerline. After exiting the runway, the airplane traveled down a 60 degree embank mentm struck a chain link fence, then came to rest upright. The pilot stated he encountered no mechanical problems with the airplance. The pilots total flight experience was 158 hours, with 103 hours in Cessna 172PS. (-23) upon touchdown, pilot reported that aircraft caught gust of wind and aircraft "floated." He applied power and aircraft went off right side of runway, over embankment, struck fence and came to rest across railroad tracks. Pilot made 2 go-arounds due to concern for wind & direction.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 29, 1998, AT 1120 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172P, N9821L WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A CROSSWIND LANDING TO RUNWAY 02 AT ROBERTSON FIELD AIRPORT (4B8), PLANIVILLE, CONNECTICUT. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, APPROXIMATELY 1025. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT; UPON REACHING 4B8, HE DID A MIDFIELD FLY OVER TO ESTABLISH THE WINDS. THE WINDS WERE DETERMINED TO BE A DIRECT CROSSWIND FOR RUNWAY 02/20. AFTER ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND POSITIONING THE AIRPLANE ON FINAL FOR RUNWAYA 02, HE EXECUTED A GO AROUND AT 200 FEET ABOUVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) BECAUSE OF AN EXCESSIVE LATERAL DRIFT. ON HIS SECOND ATTEMPT TO LAND AT 4B8, HE ESTABLISHED THE AIRPLANE ON FINAL WITH 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND 65 KNOTS OF AIRSPEED. HE TOUCHED DOWN OK THEN THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO FLOAT, APPROXIMATLEY 3 FEET ABOUVE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN DEPARTED THE RUNWAY WITH THE NOSE POINTED SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF CENTERLINE. AFTER EXITING THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED DOWN A 60 DEGREE EMBANK MENTM STRUCK A CHAIN LINK FENCE, THEN CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. THE PILOT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANCE. THE PILOTS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WAS 158 HOURS, WITH 103 HOURS IN CESSNA 172PS. (-23) UPON TOUCHDOWN, PILOT REPORTED THAT AIRCRAFT CAUGHT GUST OF WIND AND AIRCRAFT "FLOATED." HE APPLIED POWER AND AIRCRAFT WENT OFF RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY, OVER EMBANKMENT, STRUCK FENCE AND CAME TO REST ACROSS RAILROAD TRACKS. PILOT MADE 2 GO-AROUNDS DUE TO CONCERN FOR WIND & DIRECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.