On March 30, 1983, a Bell 47G2 (registration N47WJ) was involved in an aviation accident near Homestead, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control during a crosswind landing in gusty weather, resulting in a hard landing and subsequent rollover. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Cessna 172M sustained substantial damage after striking the ground hard and overturning onto its left side during a crosswind approach in extremely gusty weather.
What happened
The pilot reported conducting a normal crosswind approach for landing. As the aircraft neared the ground at an altitude of approximately 4 to 5 feet above ground level (AGL), it encountered extremely gusty weather conditions. The aircraft struck the runway surface first, then pitched up vertically by about 10 to 15 feet before losing lift and dropping hard back to the ground. Upon impact, the aircraft overturned onto its left side.
The investigation
The Cessna 172M (tail number N4386J) sustained substantial damage to the airframe during the accident sequence. Examination of the wreckage confirmed that the aircraft landed on its left side following the hard touchdown and vertical excursion.
Findings
Contributing factors included the extremely gusty weather conditions which caused a loss of lift after initial ground contact. The pilot was not injured in the incident, though the aircraft suffered significant structural damage from the rollover.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control during a crosswind landing in gusty weather, resulting in a hard landing and subsequent rollover.