What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N2243 approached Tuscaloosa airport without radio contact. The aircraft circled the airport and was given the appropriate ATC light signal "cleared to land" by the tower. The signal was given where the pilot could have landed on runway 29, however, he continued and landed on runway 22. Reported wind conditions from 6 minutes prior to the accident until 11 minutes after the accident, and continuing thru 52 minutes past the accident, show little variation. These reported winds indicated a strong direct crosswind on rwy 22 with gusty conditions. The aircraft bounced several times and ground looped, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. There was no fire, and no reported injuries. (.19) on may 13, 2002, at 1359 central daylight time, a Stinson 108-3, N2243M, registered to a commercial pilot, lost directional control, and collapsed the main landing gear during landing roll at Tuscaloosa Municipal Airport, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substan tially damaged, and the pilot and three passengers were not injured. The flight departed marianna, Florida, at 1240 eastern daylight time. According to the pilot, he was on a cross-country flight from marianna, Florida, to fayetteville, Alabama, when he became concerned about the fuel consumption of his airplane. He decided to divert to Tuscaloosa Municipal Airport. During the approach to Tuscaloosa he lost radio communication with the air traffic control tower. The pilot conducted the necessary radio out procedures, and landed on runway 22. During the landing roll, the pilot stated he lost control of the airplane, and veered off the right of runway 22. The right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane reentered the runway and ground looped.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N2243 APPROACHED TUSCALOOSA AIRPORT WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLED THE AIRPORT AND WAS GIVEN THE APPROPRIATE ATC LIGHT SIGNAL "CLEARED TO LAND" BY THE TOWER. THE SIGNAL WAS GIVEN WHERE THE PILOT COULD HAVE LANDED ON RUNWAY 29, HOWEVER, HE CONTINUED AND LANDED ON RUNWAY 22. REPORTED WIND CONDITIONS FROM 6 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT UNTIL 11 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AND CONTINUING THRU 52 MINUTES PAST THE ACCIDENT, SHOW LITTLE VARIATION. THESE REPORTED WINDS INDICATED A STRONG DIRECT CROSSWIND ON RWY 22 WITH GUSTY CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES AND GROUND LOOPED, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS NO FIRE, AND NO REPORTED INJURIES. (.19) ON MAY 13, 2002, AT 1359 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A STINSON 108-3, N2243M, REGISTERED TO A COMMERCIAL PILOT, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND COLLAPSED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DURING LANDING ROLL AT TUSCALOOSA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTAN TIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MARIANNA, FLORIDA, AT 1240 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM MARIANNA, FLORIDA, TO FAYETTEVILLE, ALABAMA, WHEN HE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUEL CONSUMPTION OF HIS AIRPLANE. HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO TUSCALOOSA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. DURING THE APPROACH TO TUSCALOOSA HE LOST RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER. THE PILOT CONDUCTED THE NECESSARY RADIO OUT PROCEDURES, AND LANDED ON RUNWAY 22. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT STATED HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND VEERED OFF THE RIGHT OF RUNWAY 22. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE REENTERED THE RUNWAY AND GROUND LOOPED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.