On October 11, 1987, a Boeing A75N1 (registration N54279) was involved in an aviation accident near Fort Stockton, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inability to maintain directional control due to a whirlwind encountered during the flare of a full stall landing, which resulted in the aircraft striking an embankment and nosing over. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot lost control of a tailwheel-equipped aircraft during a full stall landing flare when encountering a whirlwind, resulting in a right-side impact with an embankment and subsequent nosing over.
What happened
The pilot reported that while executing the flare for a full stall landing in a tailwheel-equipped aircraft, the plane encountered a whirlwind. In an attempt to maintain control, the pilot applied full power along with full left aileron and rudder inputs. Despite these corrective actions, the pilot was unable to recover the aircraft's attitude.
Subsequently, the aircraft struck an embankment located on the right side of the runway. The pilot stated that he reduced the throttle before the impact occurred. Following the collision, the aircraft nosed over, resulting in damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation relied primarily on the pilot's statement regarding the sequence of events. No mechanical failure was identified as a contributing factor; the incident was attributed to the atmospheric disturbance encountered during the critical phase of landing.
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control due to a whirlwind encountered during the flare of a full stall landing, which resulted in the aircraft striking an embankment and nosing over.