What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 18, 2026, I was the pilot in command of aircraft privacy data omitted on a flight from kpao to C83 to attend the angel flight fly-in with one passenger onboard.
Upon arriving at approximately 13:15, I observed a significant crosswind on the active runway. Although I initially considered using a runway that offered a more favorable wind alignment, all traffic monitoring and transmitting on the CTAF was utilizing runway 30. Because I was unfamiliar with the airport, I elected to follow the established traffic pattern and land on runway 30.
During the approach and landing, I applied appropriate crosswind control inputs. After touchdown, however, the aircraft began to yaw to the right. It is possible that a wind gust, combined with the existing crosswind conditions, contributed to the rapid loss of directional control. I attempted to correct the deviation and initiated a go-around, but there was insufficient time and runway remaining to successfully recover.
The aircraft subsequently ground-looped and exited the right side of the runway into the grass. The aircraft sustained damage as a result of the excursion. Fortunately, neither my passenger nor I sustained any injuries, and we exited the aircraft without assistance.
This event reinforced the importance of conservative aeronautical decision-making, particularly when operating a tailwheel aircraft in challenging crosswind conditions. In the future, I will place greater emphasis on selecting the runway that provides the safest operating conditions, even when it differs from the runway most commonly being used, provided it can be done safely and in accordance with applicable procedures.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 18, 2026, I WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON A FLIGHT FROM KPAO TO C83 TO ATTEND THE ANGEL FLIGHT FLY-IN WITH ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD.
UPON ARRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 13:15, I OBSERVED A SIGNIFICANT CROSSWIND ON THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH I INITIALLY CONSIDERED USING A RUNWAY THAT OFFERED A MORE FAVORABLE WIND ALIGNMENT, ALL TRAFFIC MONITORING AND TRANSMITTING ON THE CTAF WAS UTILIZING RUNWAY 30. BECAUSE I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT, I ELECTED TO FOLLOW THE ESTABLISHED TRAFFIC PATTERN AND LAND ON RUNWAY 30.
DURING THE APPROACH AND LANDING, I APPLIED APPROPRIATE CROSSWIND CONTROL INPUTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO YAW TO THE RIGHT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A WIND GUST, COMBINED WITH THE EXISTING CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, CONTRIBUTED TO THE RAPID LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE DEVIATION AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME AND RUNWAY REMAINING TO SUCCESSFULLY RECOVER.
THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND-LOOPED AND EXITED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE EXCURSION. FORTUNATELY, NEITHER MY PASSENGER NOR I SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES, AND WE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.
THIS EVENT REINFORCED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVATIVE AERONAUTICAL DECISION-MAKING, PARTICULARLY WHEN OPERATING A TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT IN CHALLENGING CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS ON SELECTING THE RUNWAY THAT PROVIDES THE SAFEST OPERATING CONDITIONS, EVEN WHEN IT DIFFERS FROM THE RUNWAY MOST COMMONLY BEING USED, PROVIDED IT CAN BE DONE SAFELY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE PROCEDURES.
Other reports on N76423 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.