On April 3, 1985, a Piper PA-22-150 (registration N5995D) was involved in an aviation accident near Rush City, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control during takeoff due to crosswind conditions, resulting in a runway excursion and nose gear collapse. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Aircraft veered left during takeoff in gusty crosswinds, settling into a ditch and collapsing the nose landing gear.
What happened
The pilot reported initiating takeoff on runway 33 with a wind from 280 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 25 knots. After becoming airborne, the aircraft weathervaned into the wind and traveled to the left of the runway before settling back to the ground. The aircraft subsequently contacted a ditch, causing the nose gear to collapse before coming to rest.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the takeoff performance and environmental conditions. The pilot reported strong crosswind components during the initial climb phase.
Probable cause
Loss of control during takeoff due to crosswind conditions, resulting in a runway excursion and nose gear collapse.
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