CHI03LA174

The airplane veered off the side of the runway while landing and impacted terrain. The pilot reported the airplane veered to the left of the centerline while landing on runway 36. The airplane contacted a ditch prior to coming to a stop. The pilot reported during a telephone interview that he knew he was landing with a 5 knot or better quartering tailwind. He stated that they typically land on runway 18. He stated he didn't know why they primarily used runway 18, it was just the "pattern that the other guys use." On a written form completed by the pilot, he reported the winds were from 180 degrees at 8 knots.

On July 14, 2003, at 1015 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N4247Y, operated by Tri-County Aero Inc., sustained substantial damage when it veered off the runway while landing on runway 36 (4,007 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt) at the McGehee Municipal Airport (7M1), McGehee, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 137 agricultural flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight originated from 7M1 at 0945.

The pilot reported the airplane veered to the left of the runway centerline after touching down. The pilot stated the airplane continued off the side of the runway and went through a ditch before coming to a stop about 100 feet from the runway centerline.

The pilot reported no mechanical functions or defects prior to the accident.

The pilot reported during a telephone interview that he knew he was landing with a 5 knot or better quartering tailwind. He stated that they typically land on runway 18. He stated he didn't know why they primarily used runway 18, it was just the "pattern that the other guys use." On the NTSB form 6120.1/2 that the pilot completed, he reported the winds were from 180 degrees at 8 knots.