Vidalia, LA, USA
NC58785
WACO SRE
According to the pilot, while inbound to the destination airport, he was advised that the wind was from the south at 7 knots. While landing, the touchdown was normal, but during the rollout, the airplane veered sideways, exited the runway and nosed over. The airport manager, who witnessed the accident, said that he saw the airplane on final approach and the pilot put the airplane in a slip condition to compensate for the wind which was blowing from about 165 degrees at approximately 10 knots with some gusts. The left gear collapsed and the airplane skidded down the runway, then veered off the right side into the grass and nosed over. The propeller left a single cut mark on the edge of the runway and made several cut marks in the ground approximately 1 foot apart. The dragging wheel dug into the ground and the airplane overturned on its back.
According to the pilot's written statement, he departed his private airstrip, Sydal Acres (58LA), Lake Jackson, Louisiana, and was en route to Concordia Parish Airport (0R4), Vadalia, Louisiana, to purchase fuel. En route, he was advised that the wind at 0R4 was from the south at 7 knots. He said the touchdown was normal but during the rollout, the airplane began "skipping sideways" until the landing gear "folded under." The airplane went off the side of the runway and nosed over. The airport manager who witnessed the accident, said in his written statement that he saw the airplane on final approach for runway 14. The airplane slipped to the right to compensate for the wind which was blowing from about 165 degrees at approximately 10 knots with some gusts. As the airplane transitioned to a wings-level, wheel-type touchdown, the right wing came up and it began veering to the right, scraping the bottom left wing on the pavement and scuffing the left tire. The left gear collapsed and the airplane skidded down the runway, then veered off the right side into the grass and nosed over. The propeller left a single cut mark on the edge of the runway and made several cut marks in the ground approximately 1 foot apart. The dragging wheel dug into the ground and the airplane overturned on its back. According to the FAA inspector's statement, the pilot told him that the Hardy-Anders Field/Natchez-Adams County Airport (KHEZ) Automatic Weather Observing System (AWOS) reported the wind to be from the east at 8 knots, gusting to 14 knots. On touchdown, the wind "felt much stronger...gusting in excess of 20 knots." The inspector confirmed that the wind was 210 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 14 knots.
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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