What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 02, 2002, at 18:45 central daylite time, N4261Q a Cessna 172L diverted it's intended route from liberal Kansas (lbl) to albuquerque double eagle (aeg). The aircraft diverted to Dalhart Municipal Airport (dht) in Dalhart, Texas, due to developing squall line. According to the only witness, this aircraft attempted to perform a normal touchdown on runway 17, at dht. Stated in the witness report, the aircraft was landing with a direct head wind in a heavy rain storm, moments before touch down the wind changed direction to a 90 degree crosswind from the west. The aircraft was pushed off the runway to the east side, where the pilot lost directional control and hit a ditch just prior to runway 03. The aircraft nosed over and came to rest approximately 100 yards from runway 03. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage cabin area, engine firewall and nose land gear assembly.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 02, 2002, AT 18:45 CENTRAL DAYLITE TIME, N4261Q A CESSNA 172L DIVERTED IT'S INTENDED ROUTE FROM LIBERAL KANSAS (LBL) TO ALBUQUERQUE DOUBLE EAGLE (AEG). THE AIRCRAFT DIVERTED TO DALHART MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (DHT) IN DALHART, TEXAS, DUE TO DEVELOPING SQUALL LINE. ACCORDING TO THE ONLY WITNESS, THIS AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 17, AT DHT. STATED IN THE WITNESS REPORT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDING WITH A DIRECT HEAD WIND IN A HEAVY RAIN STORM, MOMENTS BEFORE TOUCH DOWN THE WIND CHANGED DIRECTION TO A 90 DEGREE CROSSWIND FROM THE WEST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUSHED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE EAST SIDE, WHERE THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND HIT A DITCH JUST PRIOR TO RUNWAY 03. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM RUNWAY 03. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE CABIN AREA, ENGINE FIREWALL AND NOSE LAND GEAR ASSEMBLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.