- Date
- April 3, 2008, 17:05 local (23:05 UTC)
- Place
- Three Forks, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1139CPiper PA-22/20
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080403014119A
- Case key
- 67762
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. A gusting crosswind was a contributing factor.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was landing the tailwheel equipped airplane in a crosswind on runway 20 and reported that during the landing roll, "...a sudden gust from the west lifted the right wing and landing gear." As the pilot attempted to correct the situation, the airplane's left main landing gear strut collapsed, and the left wing struck the runway surface. The airplane received structural damage to left wing and fuselage. The wind at the time of the accident was from 110 degrees at 10 knots. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was landing the tail-wheel equipped airplane in a crosswind on runway 20. The pilot reported that during the landing rollout "...a sudden gust from the west lifted the right wing and landing gear." As the pilot attempted to correct the situation, the airplane's left main landing gear strut collapsed and the left wing struck the runway surface. The airplane received structural damage to left wing and fuselage. The wind at the time of the accident was from 110 degrees at 10 knots. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1139C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22/20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-975
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Douglas S. Cairns
- Registered owner
- Douglas S. Cairns
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 8U8 · Townsend, MT
- Destination
- 9S5 · Three Forks, MT
- Airport
- 9S5 · Three Forks, runway 20, 5,100 × 60 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 440 total · 70 in this make and model · 46 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- 9S5, 4 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.