CHICAGO, IL, USA
N4340K
PIPER PA28R
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING A CROSSWIND LANDING. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PRIVATE RATED PILOT, THE ONLY PERSON ONBOARD, WAS NOT INJURED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL HE STARTED HIS APPROACH. HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT HIS CROSSWIND CORRECTION AND SPEED APPEARED TO BE ADEQUATE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AND THEN COMPLETES HIS STATEMENT BY RELATING HOW A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT DOWNWARD CAUSING A HARD LANDING. AN AIRPORT WEATHER OBSERVATION TAKEN 5 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THE WIND AS BEING 80 DEGREES FROM THE RUNWAY AT 20 KNOTS. THE DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND COMPONENT ON THIS AIRPLANE IS 17 KNOTS.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE DURING AN ATTEMPTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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