This February 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Cessna 182. Injuries: None. Location: Kelleys Island, Ohio. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot, who had a commercial pilot certificate, was attempting to land in gusty wind conditions. He said the winds were from 290° at 15 to 20 knots, gusting 25 to 30 knots.
During the flare, a wind gust from the left pushed the airplane to the right. The right wing tip hit the runway. The pilot increased the throttle in an attempt to recover and the airplane veered to the left. The nose gear hit the ground and collapsed. The plane skidded to a stop.
During the post-accident investigation, the airplane’s aileron cable tension was found to be inadequate. The airplane underwent its most recent annual inspection Oct. 20, 2008. Between the time of the annual inspection and the accident, no additional maintenance to the aileron control system was noted in the maintenance records. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated approximately four hours since the annual inspection. The reason for the inadequate aileron cable tension was not determined.
Probable cause: The failure to maintain aircraft control while landing in gusty winds due to inadequate aileron cable tension.
For more information: NTSB.gov
That cable tension must have been way out of limits!