NYC99LA001

Just as the airplane touched down on runway 23, there was momentary increase in the wind velocity. The pilot failed to maintain directional control and the airplane departed the runway and nosed over. The pilot with a total time of about 200 hours had a break of several years in his flying and had recently received 10 hours of dual instruction. This was his first solo flight following the dual instruction flights. The winds which had been from 270 degrees at less than 5 knots, increased to 12 knots with gusts to 20 knots for about a 5 minute period and then returned to their previous value. The FAA reported the higher winds were not forecast and only lasted about 5 minutes. The crosswind component of a 20 knot wind, 40 degrees from the runway was computed at 13 knots.

On October 2, 1998, about 1230 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N9273U, was substantially damaged while landing at the Greater Cumberland Airport, Wiley Ford, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), reported that the pilot had not flown for several years, and had received 10 hours of dual instruction to regain proficiency. The accident flight was the first solo flight following the dual instruction. The pilot had remained in the traffic pattern practicing takeoffs and landing on runway 23.

In a written statement, the pilot reported:

"...On nearing the runway I looked at the weather vane which was pointed across the runway with the tail virtually relaxed. There was no indication of significant wind at that time. The landing approach seemed stable. I may have flared out a little high because the airplane did not settle down as I had expected it to. I touched down on the runway, slight to the left of center, rebounded perhaps 4 to 5 feet. I put the nose over to correct, and added some power. Before those actions could take effect I felt the wind push the aircraft almost to the edge of the runway and the right wing raised up. The next contact with the runway was firmly on the nose wheel and the airplane went off the runway to the left, ran over a runway light fixture and the overturned...."

The FAA Inspector further added that the winds were forecast to remain light and all airplanes were using runway 23. A check of the recorded weather at the airport revealed the winds had been less than 5 knots all day long. A 5 minute period was found where the winds were from 270 degrees with peak gusts of about 20 knots, which occurred during the time the pilot was landing. Following the gusts, the winds returned to their lower previous value.

Computations revealed that a 40 degree crosswind of 20 knots would have a cross wind component of 13 knots.

According to the Cessna 150M Owners Manual, the maximum demonstrated crosswind was 13 knots.