- Date
- February 22, 2020, 13:46 local (21:46 UTC)
- Place
- Columbia, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N462Aviat A1
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200222002299A
- Case key
- 100992
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 failure to maintain bank control during landing in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 3
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 reported that he was practicing crosswind landings on the grass runway. On the second landing approach and as the airplane crossed over the runway threshold, it encountered a wind gust and rolled right. The pilot applied full engine power to perform a go-around, but the airplane continued to roll right. The right wing struck the ground, and the airplane cartwheeled into an adjacent wooded area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that he had been practicing crosswind landings on the grass runway in the tailwheel equipped airplane. On the second landing approach, as the airplane crossed over the runway threshold, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and rolled to the right. The pilot applied full engine power in an attempt to perform a go-around, but the airplane continued to roll right. The right wing struck the ground, and the airplane cartwheeled into an adjacent wooded area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N462
- Reported as
- Aviat A1 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1446
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 1,103
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 29, 2019 · 41 hours before
- Departed
- CPU · San Andreas, CA
- Destination
- O22 · Columbia, CA
- Airport
- O22 · Columbia, runway 29, 2,607 × 50 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 78
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- July 26, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,565 total · 72.9 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- O22
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 6, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.