Incident Overview
A student pilot conducting a supervised cross-country flight experienced an unusual sequence of events after landing at an en route airport. The aircraft, after touching down on runway 22, was pushed onto its left wing and nose by a gust of wind, ultimately coming to rest inverted. The student, who was uninjured according to the report, had departed from an airport where winds were calm and had been forecast to remain so.
Details of the Flight
The student pilot, on his first solo cross-country flight to this particular airport, reported that the winds were calm at the time of departure and were forecast to stay calm for the duration of the flight. However, upon arrival, the situation was different. The aircraft landed on runway 22 with an estimated crosswind from 310 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Landing and Overturn
After landing, the student decelerated the aircraft to taxi speed while still on the runway. At that point, a gust of wind was encountered. The force of the gust caused the aircraft to be blown over onto its left wing and nose, and then onto its back. The sequence of events occurred rapidly, leaving the aircraft inverted on the runway. The student reported that this was his first flight to that airport.