What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After releasing the banner in the infield parallel to runway 33, aircraft made a right crosswind turn to join a right downwind for landing on runway 33 number two with a Cessna 172 ahead and a Gulfstream behind. Van wagner company policy dictates that all landings be made in a 3 - point attitude. Aircraft touched down in a 3-point at 55MPH which is 12MPH above stall speed attempting to keep my approach faster because of the Gulfstream behind. PIC wanted to both keep speed up on final and also land closer to intersection of 24-33 at charlie intersection to minimize taxi time for faster clearing time on the runway. While aircraft was slowing down and the controls surface were losing effectiveness, the crosswind gusting increased towards 240 heading - because PIC initially had excessive speed and the crosswind started to push the aircraft it then began to bear left I.e. weathervane. PIC attempted to save the turn with right rudder and brake control combination but did not get results as fast as expected, at which point PIC grabbed the left brake as well - which was an over correction. After applying full brakes on both sides the tail came off the ground and had no more ground handling. PIC held the stick back in the full aft position, at this point it was unrecoverable as the nose had already gone over the center of gravity. The propeller contacted the runway surface and engine stoppage occurred.
Airman was counseled by FAA inspectors on aeronautical decision making concerning crosswinds and 3 point versus wheel landings. PIC went through and logged retraining on crosswind landings with company instructor to avoid reoccurrence.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER RELEASING THE BANNER IN THE INFIELD PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 33, AIRCRAFT MADE A RIGHT CROSSWIND TURN TO JOIN A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 33 NUMBER TWO WITH A CESSNA 172 AHEAD AND A GULFSTREAM BEHIND. VAN WAGNER COMPANY POLICY DICTATES THAT ALL LANDINGS BE MADE IN A 3 - POINT ATTITUDE. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A 3-POINT AT 55MPH WHICH IS 12MPH ABOVE STALL SPEED ATTEMPTING TO KEEP MY APPROACH FASTER BECAUSE OF THE GULFSTREAM BEHIND. PIC WANTED TO BOTH KEEP SPEED UP ON FINAL AND ALSO LAND CLOSER TO INTERSECTION OF 24-33 AT CHARLIE INTERSECTION TO MINIMIZE TAXI TIME FOR FASTER CLEARING TIME ON THE RUNWAY. WHILE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOWING DOWN AND THE CONTROLS SURFACE WERE LOSING EFFECTIVENESS, THE CROSSWIND GUSTING INCREASED TOWARDS 240 HEADING - BECAUSE PIC INITIALLY HAD EXCESSIVE SPEED AND THE CROSSWIND STARTED TO PUSH THE AIRCRAFT IT THEN BEGAN TO BEAR LEFT I.E. WEATHERVANE. PIC ATTEMPTED TO SAVE THE TURN WITH RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKE CONTROL COMBINATION BUT DID NOT GET RESULTS AS FAST AS EXPECTED, AT WHICH POINT PIC GRABBED THE LEFT BRAKE AS WELL - WHICH WAS AN OVER CORRECTION. AFTER APPLYING FULL BRAKES ON BOTH SIDES THE TAIL CAME OFF THE GROUND AND HAD NO MORE GROUND HANDLING. PIC HELD THE STICK BACK IN THE FULL AFT POSITION, AT THIS POINT IT WAS UNRECOVERABLE AS THE NOSE HAD ALREADY GONE OVER THE CENTER OF GRAVITY. THE PROPELLER CONTACTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE AND ENGINE STOPPAGE OCCURRED.
AIRMAN WAS COUNSELED BY FAA INSPECTORS ON AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING CONCERNING CROSSWINDS AND 3 POINT VERSUS WHEEL LANDINGS. PIC WENT THROUGH AND LOGGED RETRAINING ON CROSSWIND LANDINGS WITH COMPANY INSTRUCTOR TO AVOID REOCCURRENCE.
Other reports on N294T · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.