What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost directional control landing. Veered off runway into a ditch. Blamed wind gust. (.4)the solo private pilot was landing at a remote, gravel airstrip in a tailwheel equipped airplane. The pilot stated in his written statement to the NTSB, that prior to landing he had received a pilot report indicating that there was a slight breeze, favoring a landing to the east. The pilot looked at the airstrip windsock, noted that it was hanging limp, and prepared to land to the west. He said that while landing to the west, and just after touchdown, a gust of wind from behind pushed the tail of the airplane to the left. The airplane veered to the right, and went of the right side of the runway and came to rest in a ditch that borders the runway. The pilot noted in his written statement that his decision to land to the west was based on a more favorable approach, and it would eliminate the need to back taxi. (-23) prior to landing at the kako mine gravel strip, the pilot stated that he observed the wind was 090 degrees at 10 KTS. Attempting to land to the west the pilot lost control on landing. The a/c veered off the runway to the right coming to a stop in the ditch bordering the runway. Substantial damage was done to the a/c. the pilot has been counseled about the hazard of landing down wind. Further investigation is on going. I have suggested that the pilot get some additional instruction. Depending on the outcome of the instruction I might recommend he take a 44709 ride.
As the FAA filed it
LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL LANDING. VEERED OFF RUNWAY INTO A DITCH. BLAMED WIND GUST. (.4)THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT WAS LANDING AT A REMOTE, GRAVEL AIRSTRIP IN A TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STATED IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE NTSB, THAT PRIOR TO LANDING HE HAD RECEIVED A PILOT REPORT INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT BREEZE, FAVORING A LANDING TO THE EAST. THE PILOT LOOKED AT THE AIRSTRIP WINDSOCK, NOTED THAT IT WAS HANGING LIMP, AND PREPARED TO LAND TO THE WEST. HE SAID THAT WHILE LANDING TO THE WEST, AND JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, A GUST OF WIND FROM BEHIND PUSHED THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT, AND WENT OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST IN A DITCH THAT BORDERS THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT NOTED IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT HIS DECISION TO LAND TO THE WEST WAS BASED ON A MORE FAVORABLE APPROACH, AND IT WOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED TO BACK TAXI. (-23) PRIOR TO LANDING AT THE KAKO MINE GRAVEL STRIP, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE WIND WAS 090 DEGREES AT 10 KTS. ATTEMPTING TO LAND TO THE WEST THE PILOT LOST CONTROL ON LANDING. THE A/C VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT COMING TO A STOP IN THE DITCH BORDERING THE RUNWAY. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE A/C. THE PILOT HAS BEEN COUNSELED ABOUT THE HAZARD OF LANDING DOWN WIND. FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS ON GOING. I HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE PILOT GET SOME ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION. DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THE INSTRUCTION I MIGHT RECOMMEND HE TAKE A 44709 RIDE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.