What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Jump plane was participating at an airshow and utilized nearby grass strip that was only 50FT wide for jump operations. While returning to TA37 after releasing jumpers for the airshow pilot experienced stronger than expected cross-wind during landing flare that resulted in him being pushed off the runway. Entering a sand pit that was adjacent to the runway. Shortly after settling into the sand the left wing hit causing the aircraft to spin, dig the nose wheel in and resulting in the aircraft coming to a stop upside down.
Winds at airshow airport were approximately 15 gusting 25 at the time of incident. While on site for inspection the winds were still gusting and almost a direct crosswind with a shear caused by tree line break approximately 500FT from approach end threshold.
No injuries and aircraft sustained substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
JUMP PLANE WAS PARTICIPATING AT AN AIRSHOW AND UTILIZED NEARBY GRASS STRIP THAT WAS ONLY 50FT WIDE FOR JUMP OPERATIONS. WHILE RETURNING TO TA37 AFTER RELEASING JUMPERS FOR THE AIRSHOW PILOT EXPERIENCED STRONGER THAN EXPECTED CROSS-WIND DURING LANDING FLARE THAT RESULTED IN HIM BEING PUSHED OFF THE RUNWAY. ENTERING A SAND PIT THAT WAS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. SHORTLY AFTER SETTLING INTO THE SAND THE LEFT WING HIT CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SPIN, DIG THE NOSE WHEEL IN AND RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO A STOP UPSIDE DOWN.
WINDS AT AIRSHOW AIRPORT WERE APPROXIMATELY 15 GUSTING 25 AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. WHILE ON SITE FOR INSPECTION THE WINDS WERE STILL GUSTING AND ALMOST A DIRECT CROSSWIND WITH A SHEAR CAUSED BY TREE LINE BREAK APPROXIMATELY 500FT FROM APPROACH END THRESHOLD.
NO INJURIES AND AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.