Columbia LC41-550FG N1387C

Summary

On 21 May 2008 at about 17:30 local time, a Columbia LC41-550FG registered N1387C, operated by John H. Taylor, was involved in an accident near Columbus, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 May 2008 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Columbus, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

40.0797, -83.0731

Aircraft

Columbia LC41-550FG

Registration

N1387C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John H. Taylor

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lincoln Park → Columbus

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI08CA138

Nobody was injured.

The pilot not maintaining directional control during the landing. Contributing to the accident were the gusty crosswinds and the airport sign that was impacted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had flown a cross country flight on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot reported that while on approach he picked up recorded weather which was "winds from 310 at 9 gusting to 15, 10 miles visibility, a few clouds at 9,500’ and altimeter 29.63" and that he was cleared to land on runway 27L. The pilot asked for a wind check and the tower reported the wind as "from 300 at 20 with no mention of gusts." The pilot used full flaps during the landing and reported an indicated airspeed of 95-100 knots. He reported that during the flare he experienced "normal ground-effect 'turbulence'" and "focused on maintaining the centerline and allowing airspeed to bleed off to land smoothly." He stated that immediately upon touchdown, the airplane began veering about 20 degrees to the left. He said that he tried to correct with right rudder only. The pilot said that he "determined that more aggressive correction was unsafe and instead decided to exit the runway into the grassy area between the runway and the airport ramp area." The airplane's left wing struck a runway light and then the 3,000 feet remaining sign.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.