What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During landing at the Toccoa, GA rg Letourneau airport (toc) on runway 27 in approximately 24 mph gusting to about 40 mph from estimated 220 variable 250 degrees (30 to 50 degrees left of runway) gusty wind, witnesses stated the aircraft was blasted with what appeared to be a horizontal wind gust so strong it actually blew the aircraft sideways off the right side of the runway. To airport employees it appeared to be similar to a mountain air wave associated with the passage of a cold front. To avoid hitting a parked aircraft, the pilot applied full throttle, turned his aircraft into the wind, passed over the top of the parked aircraft, ran out of headwind effect, stalled and hard landed back into the ground then skidded to a stop in about 125 feet. Substantial aircraft damage, no injuries. Airport personnel witnessing the accident reported the wind was blowing around a building creating a calm zone near the runway end. The pilot and passenger of N4WY stated the wind gust was so strong aircraft control was impossible. According to airport management, a CE-172 landing on runway 27 about 10 minutes later reported a strong left wind shear blowing nearly causing the pilot to lose control of that aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING LANDING AT THE TOCCOA, GA RG LETOURNEAU AIRPORT (TOC) ON RUNWAY 27 IN APPROXIMATELY 24 MPH GUSTING TO ABOUT 40 MPH FROM ESTIMATED 220 VARIABLE 250 DEGREES (30 TO 50 DEGREES LEFT OF RUNWAY) GUSTY WIND, WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS BLASTED WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE A HORIZONTAL WIND GUST SO STRONG IT ACTUALLY BLEW THE AIRCRAFT SIDEWAYS OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. TO AIRPORT EMPLOYEES IT APPEARED TO BE SIMILAR TO A MOUNTAIN AIR WAVE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT. TO AVOID HITTING A PARKED AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, TURNED HIS AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND, PASSED OVER THE TOP OF THE PARKED AIRCRAFT, RAN OUT OF HEADWIND EFFECT, STALLED AND HARD LANDED BACK INTO THE GROUND THEN SKIDDED TO A STOP IN ABOUT 125 FEET. SUBSTANTIAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE, NO INJURIES. AIRPORT PERSONNEL WITNESSING THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THE WIND WAS BLOWING AROUND A BUILDING CREATING A CALM ZONE NEAR THE RUNWAY END. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER OF N4WY STATED THE WIND GUST WAS SO STRONG AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS IMPOSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO AIRPORT MANAGEMENT, A CE-172 LANDING ON RUNWAY 27 ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER REPORTED A STRONG LEFT WIND SHEAR BLOWING NEARLY CAUSING THE PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THAT AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.