GALLUP, NM, USA
N8188V
Cessna A188
The pilot had just purchased the airplane, and was ferrying it to its new home base. Since an annual inspection was not current, a ferry permit was issued by the FAA for this flight. The pilot was landing to refuel. The pilot determined the wind was from the north as he made 'a normal wheel landing with some braking' on runway 24. The pilot stated that during the landing roll, 'the right wing lowered and the airplane turned hard left. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground.' The airplane departed the left side of the runway at approximately 2,260 feet from the approach end, coming to a rest in the grass on the south side. The right main landing gear and right wing were damaged extensively. Recorded winds were 350 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots. Calculations provided evidence that by landing on runway 24, the pilot was attempting to land with a 20 degree right quartering tailwind. These circumstances provided a tailwind component of 5 knots and a crosswind component of 15 knots. The 1968 Cessna A188 Pilot Operating Handbook does not contain a demonstrated crosswind component listed. However, there is crosswind limitations. The 1983 Cessna A188, which has a higher gross weight than the former, has a demonstrated crosswind component of 17 miles per hour (15 knots).
On July 28, 2000, at 1822 mountain daylight time, a Cessna A188, N8188V, operated by Sun Western Flyers, Inc., was substantially damaged when it departed the side of the runway during landing roll at Gallup Municipal Airport, Gallup, New Mexico. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the ferry flight being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Las Vegas, New Mexico, approximately 1530. According to the pilot, he had just purchased the airplane, and was ferrying it to its new home base in Yuma, Arizona. Because an annual inspection was not current, the FAA issued a ferry permit for this flight. The pilot departed Meadow Lake Airport, Colorado Springs, Colorado, around 1300 hours, refueled at Las Vegas, New Mexico, around 1520 hours, and was landing at Gallup to refuel. The pilot determined the wind was from the north as he made "a normal wheel landing with some braking" on runway 24. The pilot stated that during the landing roll, "the right wing lowered and the airplane turned hard left. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground." The airplane departed the left side of the runway at approximately 2,260 feet from the approach end, coming to a rest in the grass on the south side. The right main landing gear and right wing were damaged extensively. An FAA aviation safety inspector went to the scene. He stated that physical evidence suggested that the landing gear failed due to excessive side loads. Examination of the runway provided evidence of gouging caused by the right main wheel assembly, the right main gear strut, and propeller. Recorded winds were 350 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots. Calculations provided evidence that by landing on runway 24, the pilot was attempting to land with a 20 degree right quartering tailwind. These circumstances provided a tailwind component of 5 knots and a crosswind component of 15 knots. Landing on runway 06 would have presented a 70 degree left crosswind, and would have provided a headwind component of 15 knots and a crosswind component of 5 knots (see Crosswind Component Chart). In a telephone conversation with a Cessna representative, he said that in the pilots' operating handbook (POH), for this Cessna A188, which is a 1968 version, there is not a demonstrated crosswind component listed. However, there is a demonstrated crosswind component of 17 miles per hour (15 knots), listed in the POH for the 1983 version. This can only be used as a reference, because the 1983 version has a maximum gross weight of 4200 lbs, which is 900 lbs higher then the 1968 version.
The pilot's failure to compensate for the wind conditions. Factors were the pilot's selection of the wrong runway, and the tailwind/crosswind weather conditions.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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