MONTICELLO, NY, USA
N38890
Piper PA-28-161
The student pilot was on the return portion of a solo cross-country flight, when she encountered gusty wind conditions. She obtained local weather information, which reported that the winds were gusting to 16 knots. She planned to conduct a landing to runway 01. During the landing attempt, the airplane touched down and bounced, and the student applied power to go around. The student stated that 'By the time I applied throttle for a go-around, a wind gust must have picked up my left wing . . .' She reported that after the left wing came up, the airplane went upside down and slid down the runway. The student reported that there was no malfunction with the airplane. About 7 miles northwest at the Sullivan County Airport, the 0956 edt wind was from 290 degrees at 15 knots, with gusts to 21 knots.
On May 20, 1996, about 0900 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N38890, was destroyed when it collided with the ground during landing at the Monticello Airport, Monticello, New York. The student pilot, sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Newburgh, New York. No flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot reported that she obtained a weather briefing for a solo cross country flight from Monticello to Newburgh. Prior to departure the intended flight was discussed with her instructor. The pilot then stated: "On my return flight, I ran into gusting winds so [I] listened to the local AWOS whose final report I heard was wind gusting 16 [knots]. I determined to make one attempt at landing [to runway 01], or if running into difficulties, to make a go-around and fly to Sullivan County Airport (MSV) as taught. By the time I applied throttle for a go-around, a wind gust must have picked up my left wing, for I was sliding on the side of the runway upside down." The pilot also reported that there were no malfunctions with the airplane. The pilot had a total flight experience of about 56 hours, of which 10 were solo. According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 01 at Monticello was a 2,845 foot long, 31 foot wide runway. The automated weather observation system at MSV, 7 miles northwest of the accident site, at 0956, reported the winds from 290 degrees at 15 knots, with gusts to 21 knots.
the student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and her delay in aborting the landing. The gusty crosswind condition was a related factor.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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