On July 16, 1983, a Cessna 140 (registration N3644V) operated by Armand R. Diliberto was involved in an aviation accident near Londonderry, VT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in crosswind conditions, which led to a runway excursion and subsequent impact with a dirt mound during the go-around. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Piper PA-28 Cherokee experienced a nose-over incident following a failed landing attempt on runway 23 due to uncorrected crosswind drift and subsequent gear contact with a dirt mound.
What happened
The pilot reported that during an approach to land on runway 23, the aircraft drifted off the runway centerline because he did not adequately compensate for a crosswind condition. In response to this deviation, the pilot initiated a go-around procedure. However, before the aircraft could gain sufficient altitude or clear the ground, the landing gear struck a mound of dirt located near the runway environment. The impact caused the aircraft to nosed over while the engine was still at full throttle. Prior to striking the dirt mound, the aircraft reportedly encountered some brush vegetation.
Findings
The pilot stated that the wind was blowing from the east at 15 knots with gusts reaching 25 knots during the incident. The failure to maintain proper lateral control during the landing phase directly contributed to the drift off the runway. The subsequent contact with the terrain obstacle during the go-around resulted in the structural damage and nose-over.
Safety message
Pilots must ensure that crosswind components are properly accounted for during final approach to prevent runway excursions. Additionally, awareness of local terrain obstacles near runway ends is critical when executing missed approaches or go-arounds at lower altitudes.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in crosswind conditions, which led to a runway excursion and subsequent impact with a dirt mound during the go-around.