Clinton, MD, USA
N3341A
Piper PA-22-135
During landing rollout, a gust of wind lifted the right wing upward, swerving the airplane to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the situation, but not before the airplane "ground looped." During the ground loop, the landing gear collapsed, causing the right wing to impact the runway and sustain damage. The pilot reported 5 hours of flight experience in tail-wheel airplanes. The winds reported at a nearby airport were from 210 degrees at 13 knots.
On May 27, 2001, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22-135, N3341A, was substantially damaged while landing at the Washington Executive Airport/Hyde Field, Clinton, Maryland. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, about 400 feet into his landing rollout on runway 23, a gust of wind lifted the right wing upward, swerving the airplane to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the situation, but not before the airplane "ground looped." During the ground loop, the landing gear collapsed, causing the right wing to impact the runway and sustain damage. Runway 23 was a 3,000-foot-long, 60- foot-wide asphalt runway. The pilot reported 5 hours of total flight experience in tail-wheel airplanes. The wind reported at a nearby airport, at 1555, was from 210 degrees at 13 knots.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout. Factors related to the accident were the pilot's lack of experience in tail-wheeled airplanes, and the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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