This April 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 195. Injuries: None. Location: Burnet, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: When the pilot approached his destination airport, the winds were reported to be from 280° at 15 knots, gusting to 27 knots with peak winds of 32 knots. The pilot performed a go-around on the first attempt to land on runway 1. After increasing the landing speed by 15 knots, he performed a “normal wheel landing” in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. On roll out, the airplane drifted left and the pilot was unable to correct the direction with ailerons and rudder. He attempted to increase control authority by lowering the tailwheel, but was unable to maintain control. The airplane ground-looped and went off the right side of the runway. The left gear sheared from the fuselage and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area between the runway and taxiway, where it sustained substantial damage to the gear box, left wing, and left aileron.
Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswinds during landing.
For more information: NTSB.gov
