What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Mr. privacy data omitted, A private pilot with instrument airplane attempted to depart st. Mary'S regional on runway 29, , on 03/11/2026. The runway was dry and VMC conditions prevailed. He was piloting his Piper comanche, privacy data omitted the winds were a direct crosswind 200 at 9 gusting to 19. As privacy data omitted was rotating a gust of wind caught the plane and the plane weather veined into the wind. The plane veered to the left and departed from runway 29 into the grass. The airplane came to rest about 50 yards off of runway 29 in a ditch. The impact was such that it caused substantial damage to aircraft. privacy data omitted And his passenger sustained minor injuries. The operational factor contributing to the accident was pilot error. Operational factors included loss of control and weather: crosswind conditions.
As the FAA filed it
MR. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A PRIVATE PILOT WITH INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE ATTEMPTED TO DEPART ST. MARY'S REGIONAL ON RUNWAY 29, , ON 03/11/2026. THE RUNWAY WAS DRY AND VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED. HE WAS PILOTING HIS PIPER COMANCHE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE WINDS WERE A DIRECT CROSSWIND 200 AT 9 GUSTING TO 19. AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ROTATING A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE PLANE AND THE PLANE WEATHER VEINED INTO THE WIND. THE PLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 29 INTO THE GRASS. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ABOUT 50 YARDS OFF OF RUNWAY 29 IN A DITCH. THE IMPACT WAS SUCH THAT IT CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND HIS PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE OPERATIONAL FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS PILOT ERROR. OPERATIONAL FACTORS INCLUDED LOSS OF CONTROL AND WEATHER: CROSSWIND CONDITIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7573P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.