What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
2021-06-05 N3697N, Cessna 140, flipped over while landing at Alexandria kaxn.
The PIC had given 5 young eagles introductory flights at axn when the group decided to stop further flights due to bad weather moving in, however the PIC saw there was 1 more young eagle that had signed up for a flight. The PIC met with the father who explained that his son was not able to fly last year because he was too young but his 2 older brothers were able to so he felt left out. The PIC discussed the approaching weather with the father and the decision was made to make the flight because it appeared the storm would pass the airport in about 30 minutes and they would take more time flying if necessary to allow the storm to pass the airport.
After 15 minutes in to the flight staying between Alexandria and glenwood the PIC noticed the weather was not developing as he thought it would. The main cell had traveled to the east was clearing the airport, however another cell stretching to the south had developed and was moving towards the airport. It appeared a lot more time would be needed airborne to stay clear of the storm. Contradictory to his preflight plan to stay airborne and let the storm pass, the PIC decided to rush in to axn before the new cell reached the airport.
While on approach to runway 13 the wind changed directions so the PIC changed to runway 31. Crossing the runway 31 threshold his aircraft entered a downdraft and he flared to avoid contact with runway. While bleeding off speed, prior to touchdown wind gusts caused him to balloon multiple times. Finally the aircraft made contact with runway and immediately the right wing raised up, ground looped to the left departing the runway on the left side. The nose of the aircraft made contact with the ground and the aircraft flipped upside down.
The pilot freed the 8 year old passenger and helped him to exit the plane. The pilot released his harness but was caught hanging upside down. The passenger re-entered the aircraft to try to assist the pilot. The pilot was able to free himself and exit the aircraft. Pilot suffered a cut to his forehead requiring stitches, passenger was uninjured.
During a post-accident discussion with the pilot he reflected that other options to prevent the accident included diverting to another airport to wait out the storm, remaining airborne clear of the storm and wait for it to pass and perform a go-around.
As the FAA filed it
2021-06-05 N3697N, CESSNA 140, FLIPPED OVER WHILE LANDING AT ALEXANDRIA KAXN.
THE PIC HAD GIVEN 5 YOUNG EAGLES INTRODUCTORY FLIGHTS AT AXN WHEN THE GROUP DECIDED TO STOP FURTHER FLIGHTS DUE TO BAD WEATHER MOVING IN, HOWEVER THE PIC SAW THERE WAS 1 MORE YOUNG EAGLE THAT HAD SIGNED UP FOR A FLIGHT. THE PIC MET WITH THE FATHER WHO EXPLAINED THAT HIS SON WAS NOT ABLE TO FLY LAST YEAR BECAUSE HE WAS TOO YOUNG BUT HIS 2 OLDER BROTHERS WERE ABLE TO SO HE FELT LEFT OUT. THE PIC DISCUSSED THE APPROACHING WEATHER WITH THE FATHER AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MAKE THE FLIGHT BECAUSE IT APPEARED THE STORM WOULD PASS THE AIRPORT IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND THEY WOULD TAKE MORE TIME FLYING IF NECESSARY TO ALLOW THE STORM TO PASS THE AIRPORT.
AFTER 15 MINUTES IN TO THE FLIGHT STAYING BETWEEN ALEXANDRIA AND GLENWOOD THE PIC NOTICED THE WEATHER WAS NOT DEVELOPING AS HE THOUGHT IT WOULD. THE MAIN CELL HAD TRAVELED TO THE EAST WAS CLEARING THE AIRPORT, HOWEVER ANOTHER CELL STRETCHING TO THE SOUTH HAD DEVELOPED AND WAS MOVING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. IT APPEARED A LOT MORE TIME WOULD BE NEEDED AIRBORNE TO STAY CLEAR OF THE STORM. CONTRADICTORY TO HIS PREFLIGHT PLAN TO STAY AIRBORNE AND LET THE STORM PASS, THE PIC DECIDED TO RUSH IN TO AXN BEFORE THE NEW CELL REACHED THE AIRPORT.
WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 13 THE WIND CHANGED DIRECTIONS SO THE PIC CHANGED TO RUNWAY 31. CROSSING THE RUNWAY 31 THRESHOLD HIS AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND HE FLARED TO AVOID CONTACT WITH RUNWAY. WHILE BLEEDING OFF SPEED, PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN WIND GUSTS CAUSED HIM TO BALLOON MULTIPLE TIMES. FINALLY THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH RUNWAY AND IMMEDIATELY THE RIGHT WING RAISED UP, GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT DEPARTING THE RUNWAY ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN.
THE PILOT FREED THE 8 YEAR OLD PASSENGER AND HELPED HIM TO EXIT THE PLANE. THE PILOT RELEASED HIS HARNESS BUT WAS CAUGHT HANGING UPSIDE DOWN. THE PASSENGER RE-ENTERED THE AIRCRAFT TO TRY TO ASSIST THE PILOT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO FREE HIMSELF AND EXIT THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT SUFFERED A CUT TO HIS FOREHEAD REQUIRING STITCHES, PASSENGER WAS UNINJURED.
DURING A POST-ACCIDENT DISCUSSION WITH THE PILOT HE REFLECTED THAT OTHER OPTIONS TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT INCLUDED DIVERTING TO ANOTHER AIRPORT TO WAIT OUT THE STORM, REMAINING AIRBORNE CLEAR OF THE STORM AND WAIT FOR IT TO PASS AND PERFORM A GO-AROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.