The accident happened when the pilot of the CubCrafters Cub was attempting a landing at a backcountry airstrip in Payson, Ariz. During the landing flare, the plane floated longer than expected and drifted to the left.
The pilot added full power to go around, but it was not soon enough to keep the left main landing gear from hitting a bush, which jerked the plane sideways.
The right landing gear collapsed and the plane skidded to a stop.
After exiting the airplane, he noticed that the wind was a gusting right quartering tailwind.
The NTSB determined the probable cause of the accident as the pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare with a quartering tailwind.
NTSB Identification: WPR13CA256
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.
