What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was on an instrument (IFR) flight plan from Washington island, Wisconsin (K2P2) to Campbell Airport, Grayslake, Illinois (KC81). He cancelled the IFR flight plan once he had visual of the airport. The winds were favoring runway 9 at KC81. He only had two notches of flaps and bumped his speed up 5 knots for the gust. He held a right crab for the crosswind and was aligned with the centerline of runway 9 on final. Prior to touchdown he took out the crosswind inputs because he thought the wind had calmed down. The pilot stated that upon landing a gust of wind veered the airplane to the left and they went off the runway. The pilot did attempt to correct the problem by inputting right aileron and right rudder, but it was too late. The left tire caught in the mud and spun the airplane around stopping in a ditch. After reviewing the landing, the pilot claims left wheel was hanging up intermittently. This could not be substantiated and discussion with observers that recovered aircraft stated the wheel was turning freely.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN FROM WASHINGTON ISLAND, WISCONSIN (K2P2) TO CAMPBELL AIRPORT, GRAYSLAKE, ILLINOIS (KC81). HE CANCELLED THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN ONCE HE HAD VISUAL OF THE AIRPORT. THE WINDS WERE FAVORING RUNWAY 9 AT KC81. HE ONLY HAD TWO NOTCHES OF FLAPS AND BUMPED HIS SPEED UP 5 KNOTS FOR THE GUST. HE HELD A RIGHT CRAB FOR THE CROSSWIND AND WAS ALIGNED WITH THE CENTERLINE OF RUNWAY 9 ON FINAL. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN HE TOOK OUT THE CROSSWIND INPUTS BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THE WIND HAD CALMED DOWN. THE PILOT STATED THAT UPON LANDING A GUST OF WIND VEERED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT AND THEY WENT OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY INPUTTING RIGHT AILERON AND RIGHT RUDDER, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE LEFT TIRE CAUGHT IN THE MUD AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE AROUND STOPPING IN A DITCH. AFTER REVIEWING THE LANDING, THE PILOT CLAIMS LEFT WHEEL WAS HANGING UP INTERMITTENTLY. THIS COULD NOT BE SUBSTANTIATED AND DISCUSSION WITH OBSERVERS THAT RECOVERED AIRCRAFT STATED THE WHEEL WAS TURNING FREELY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.