Aircraft: RV-7A. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Laramie, Wyo. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: The pilot approached the non-towered airport for landing. The airport had two runways, 21/03 and 30/15. The winds at the time of the accident were reported to be 350° at 14 knots with gusts to 24 knots. The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 21.
A witness reported seeing the airplane while on final approach just east of the airport about 300 to 400 feet AGL, but when the airplane was on short final the wings began to rock.
When the plane was about 100 to 150 feet AGL, its left wing dipped a little, followed by the right wing dropping very fast, which was then followed by a spin to the right and impact with terrain. The airplane caught fire.
Investigators determined that the pilot landed with a significant tailwind, and his decision to attempt a downwind landing in gusting wind conditions likely resulted in his loss of airplane control and subsequent impact with terrain.
Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to attempt a landing with a gusting tailwind, which resulted in his loss of airplane control during final approach and a subsequent aerodynamic stall/spin.
NTSB Identification: WPR12FA432
This August 2012 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.
The simple truth is this pilot allowed the aircraft to get too slow and stall…..then spin. This could have happened into the wind just as well.
Lift is based on the “relative wind”….. Not ground speed.
Blessings to the family
Maybe the bend in the runway threw him off…30/15?
The one he approached wasn’t “bent” – gotcha!
when all else fails, look at the windsock! good grief,its not rocket science!
Wild guess but could he have been compensating for a ridiculously high ground speed and ignoring his indicated airspeed?
That is the only way I can figure he kept slowing down to the point of a low altitude stall???
What could this guy have possibly been thinking? It took several failures in situational awareness to cause this accident. First of all on the preflight check of the weather a firm understanding of the current and expected winds needs to be accomplished and a planned runway of use for the destination, whether a frontal passage is expected that would cause a wind shift, etc. Secondly along the route of flight the current wind direction needs to always be ascertained in case of an engine failure that would require an off airport landing into the wind. Thirdly there should have been a recognition of a slower than usual ground speed on downwind leg and a corresponding faster than usual ground speed on final approach. Fourthly, the wind sock, wind T, AWOS, etc. were apparently ignored. All of these clues were forsaken resulting in the outcome……….