CHI99LA301

The pilot completed a standard left-handed traffic pattern for runway 27 and touched down on the runway, tracking the runway centerline, without incident. The pilot reported that during the landing rollout a, '...very strong crosswind from the north pushed the plane south of the runway, I applied full right aileron to keep the right wing down. I was on the brakes [and] a ground loop developed.' The pilot stated that the airplane departed the prepared runway surface and came to rest in a 10 foot deep trench that paralleled runway 27, located approximately 150 feet south of the southern edge of the runway. A weather observation station, located on the airport, four minutes prior to the accident time, reported the wind 210-degrees at 6 knots. Other weather observation stations, near the accident site, did not record any significant winds or other weather phenomena near the time of the accident.

On August 14, 1999, at 1500 central daylight time (cdt), a Piper PA-28-151, N32840, piloted by a private pilot, received substantial damage during a collision with a 10 foot deep trench following a loss of control during landing rollout on runway 27 (4,002 feet by 75 feet, dry/asphalt) at the Red Wing Municipal Airport, Red Wing, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The flight departed the South St. Paul Municipal Airport at exact time unknown.

According to the pilot's written statement, he completed a standard left-handed traffic pattern for runway 27 and touched down on the runway, tracking the runway centerline, without incident. The pilot reported that during the landing rollout a, "...very strong crosswind from the north pushed the plane south of the runway, I applied full right aileron to keep the right wing down. I was on the brakes [and] a ground loop developed." The pilot stated that the airplane departed the prepared runway surface and came to rest in a 10 foot deep trench that paralleled runway 27, located approximately 150 feet south of the southern edge of the runway.

A weather observation station, located on the airport, four minutes prior to the accident time, reported the weather conditions as:

Red Wing Municipal Airport (Red Wing, Minnesota)

Observation Time: 1456 cdt Wind: 210-degrees at 6 knots Visibility: 10 statute miles Sky Condition: Scattered Clouds 5,500 feet above ground level Temperature: 23-degrees centigrade Dew Point Temperature: 13-degrees centigrade Pressure: 30.09 inches of mercury

Weather observation stations located near Red Wing Municipal Airport reported the weather conditions as:

South St. Paul-Richard E. Fleming Field Airport (South St. Paul, Minnesota)

Distance From Accident Site: 28.467 Nautical Miles (nm) Direction From Accident Site: 303.3 Degrees Magnetic

Observation Time: 1455 cdt Wind: 220-degrees at 5 knots Visibility: 10 statute miles Sky Condition: Scattered Clouds 5,000 feet above ground level Temperature: 22-degrees centigrade Dew Point Temperature: 13-degrees centigrade Pressure: 30.09 inches of mercury

Airlake Airport (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Distance From Accident Site: 31.784 nm Direction From Accident Site: 272.8 Degrees Magnetic

Observation Time: 1455 cdt Wind: 220-degrees at 7 knots Visibility: 10 statute miles Sky Condition: Scattered Clouds 4,900 feet above ground level Temperature: 23-degrees centigrade Dew Point Temperature: 12-degrees centigrade Pressure: 30.10 inches of mercury

St. Paul Downtown Holman Field Airport (St. Paul, Minnesota)

Distance From Accident Site: 32.074 nm Direction From Accident Site: 309.0 Degrees Magnetic

Observation Time: 1453 cdt Wind: 160-degrees at 9 knots Visibility: 10 statute miles Sky Condition: Broken Clouds 5,500 feet above ground level Temperature: 23-degrees centigrade Dew Point Temperature: 12-degrees centigrade Pressure: 30.11 inches of mercury