The pilot of the Harmon Rocket was attempting to land at South Lake Tahoe airport. He contacted UNICOM as he approached the airport and was told that the gusting wind of 10 to 15 knots favored the southern runway and that there was a crosswind from the right.
The first attempt to land resulted in a go-around due to an erratic and gusting right crosswind.
During touchdown on the second attempt, the crosswind turned the airplane to the right. The pilot applied full left rudder, and was able to return the airplane to runway centerline.
However, during the rollout, the plane was again struck by the crosswind, and went off the runway and ground looped.
The NTSB determined the probable cause of this accident as the pilot’s inability to maintain directional control in a gusting crosswind.
NTSB Identification: WPR13CA276
This June 2015 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.
