What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 3, 2024 at 1:30 in the afternoon, a student pilot was practicing take offs and landings at kfmy, the home base airfield for the aircraft. Prior to taxi, the kfmy ATIS and foreflight reported winds of 220 at 6 knots. The pilot took off and landed twice on runway 23 with great landings, and proceeded around the pattern for a 3rd landing. On the downwind leg, PIC was instructed to follow a Cirrus vision jet that was on final. After the jet had passed, pilot proceeded to base. On turn to final, the pilot stated she felt a strong gust of wind catch and rock the wings, but was able to continue the turn. On the approach to the runway, the tower announced winds were 200 at 8 knots. The airspeed (55 mph) and altitude were on point for the American legend (al -11) cub. The plane landed and was under control when it started to take a turn to the left as the wind seemed to swirl and change directions. The student pilot attempted to redirect the plane down the runway, but unfortunately, the plane continued to ground loop toward the grass. The pilot then proceeded to pull the mixture, and thought all was well, until the left wing struck the runway sign. When the plane came to a stop, PIC removed headset and shoulder harness/ seatbelt and exited the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 3, 2024 AT 1:30 IN THE AFTERNOON, A STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING TAKE OFFS AND LANDINGS AT KFMY, THE HOME BASE AIRFIELD FOR THE AIRCRAFT. PRIOR TO TAXI, THE KFMY ATIS AND FOREFLIGHT REPORTED WINDS OF 220 AT 6 KNOTS. THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND LANDED TWICE ON RUNWAY 23 WITH GREAT LANDINGS, AND PROCEEDED AROUND THE PATTERN FOR A 3RD LANDING. ON THE DOWNWIND LEG, PIC WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW A CIRRUS VISION JET THAT WAS ON FINAL. AFTER THE JET HAD PASSED, PILOT PROCEEDED TO BASE. ON TURN TO FINAL, THE PILOT STATED SHE FELT A STRONG GUST OF WIND CATCH AND ROCK THE WINGS, BUT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE THE TURN. ON THE APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE TOWER ANNOUNCED WINDS WERE 200 AT 8 KNOTS. THE AIRSPEED (55 MPH) AND ALTITUDE WERE ON POINT FOR THE AMERICAN LEGEND (AL -11) CUB. THE PLANE LANDED AND WAS UNDER CONTROL WHEN IT STARTED TO TAKE A TURN TO THE LEFT AS THE WIND SEEMED TO SWIRL AND CHANGE DIRECTIONS. THE STUDENT PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REDIRECT THE PLANE DOWN THE RUNWAY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE PLANE CONTINUED TO GROUND LOOP TOWARD THE GRASS. THE PILOT THEN PROCEEDED TO PULL THE MIXTURE, AND THOUGHT ALL WAS WELL, UNTIL THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE RUNWAY SIGN. WHEN THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP, PIC REMOVED HEADSET AND SHOULDER HARNESS/ SEATBELT AND EXITED THE 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.