What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The pilot said he called the tower for airport advisories when he was 10 to 12 miles north of the airport. He was given a straight in to runway 16, but he didn't remember hearing the wind direction or its velocity. He did perform a left cross wind landing, but as he touched the runway the airplane 'weather vaned to the left.' The subsequent ground loop damaged the right wing tip and dorsal fin. The pilot stated that the surface winds were in excess of 30 knots from his left rear. He said the flags at the terminal were flying straight out. The official recorded winds for Gillette-Campbell County Airport at 1755 were clear skies with winds 080 degrees at 10 knots. (-23) pilot lost directional control on landing.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE PILOT SAID HE CALLED THE TOWER FOR AIRPORT ADVISORIES WHEN HE WAS 10 TO 12 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. HE WAS GIVEN A STRAIGHT IN TO RUNWAY 16, BUT HE DIDN'T REMEMBER HEARING THE WIND DIRECTION OR ITS VELOCITY. HE DID PERFORM A LEFT CROSS WIND LANDING, BUT AS HE TOUCHED THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE 'WEATHER VANED TO THE LEFT.' THE SUBSEQUENT GROUND LOOP DAMAGED THE RIGHT WING TIP AND DORSAL FIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE IN EXCESS OF 30 KNOTS FROM HIS LEFT REAR. HE SAID THE FLAGS AT THE TERMINAL WERE FLYING STRAIGHT OUT. THE OFFICIAL RECORDED WINDS FOR GILLETTE-CAMPBELL COUNTY AIRPORT AT 1755 WERE CLEAR SKIES WITH WINDS 080 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. (-23) PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7939V · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.