Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary NYC91LA082

GLENS FALLS, NY, USA

Aircraft #1

N98RL

LATHAM PITTS SPECIAL S-1C

Analysis

THE PILOT FLEW FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THE WIND SOCK SHOWED THE WIND WAS FROM 350 DEGREES. HE RECEIVED A UNICOM ADVISORY THAT THE FAVORED RUNWAY WAS 01. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, THE LEFT WING RAISED AND THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT AILERON AND RIGHT RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO VEER LEFT AND TIP TO THE RIGHT DESPITE COUNTER CONTROLS. THE RIGHT WING HIT, THEN THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER. AFTER THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER THE WIND SOCK SHOWED THE WIND WAS FROM 210 DEGREES GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE MAXIMUM CROSSWIND COMPONENT FOR THE PITTS SPECIAL IS TWENTY-THREE KNOTS. BETWEEN 1340 TO 1540 FREQUENT MODERATE AND ISOLATED SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 8000 FEET WITH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WAS FORECAST ON A LINE FROM MONTREAL TO NANTUCKET.

Probable Cause and Findings

A LOSS OF CONTROL ON THE GROUND DUE TO THE IMPROPER OPERATION OF FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE VARIABLE WIND.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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