Piper PA 20 N7492K

Summary

On 14 July 2018 at about 18:15 local time, a Piper PA 20 registered N7492K, operated by Gateway Tailwheel Club LLC, was involved in an accident near Dayton, 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

14 July 2018 at 18:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Dayton, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Dayton-Wright Brothers (MGY)

Coordinates

39.5889, -84.2247

Aircraft

Piper PA 20

Registration

N7492K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Gateway Tailwheel Club LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dayton → Dayton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA426

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for variable crosswind conditions during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing flare, he felt a wind shift push the airplane left of centerline. He applied opposite rudder, but the airplane touched down "skewed" to the right. The airplane then exited the runway to the right and ground looped on an adjacent field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was variable at 6 knots at the accident site. He added that, during the short final leg of the approach, the wind was from about 210º and that, during the landing flare, the wind shifted to from about 280º. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 20 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 310º at 9 knots and that, about 30 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 180° at 8 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 20.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.