Arco, ID, USA
N290AM
Aviat A-1B
The pilot, who was attempting a full stop landing on a paved runway, executed an uneventful touchdown, but during the landing roll the aircraft encountered a wind gust that lifted its left wing. Although the pilot attempted to correct the situation, he was unable to compensate for the sudden wind gust in time to keep the aircraft from entering an inadvertent ground loop. During the ground loop sequence, the left wing impacted the runway surface and sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, there did not seem to be any malfunction of the aircraft's flight control system.
On September 8, 2002, approximately 1130 mountain daylight time, the wing of an Aviat Husky A-1B, N290AM, impacted the terrain during the landing roll at Butte County Airport, Arco, Idaho. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personnel pleasure flight, which departed Driggs, Idaho, about two hours earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation. According to the pilot, the touchdown on runway 06 was uneventful, but during the landing roll the aircraft encountered a wind gust that lifted its left wing. Although the pilot attempted to correct the situation, he was unable to compensate for the sudden wind gust in time to keep the aircraft from entering an inadvertent ground loop. During the ground loop sequence, the left wing impacted the runway surface and sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, there did not seem to be any malfunction of the aircraft's flight control system.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, resulting in an inadvertent ground loop. Factors include wind gusts during the period of time at which the landing took place.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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