What happened
The pilot initiated a diversion back along the original flight path to land at the departure airport after observing deteriorating weather conditions ahead. During the approach, specifically on the final segment, the aircraft encountered a strong wind gust. This gust caused the aircraft to tip to an attitude near wings-vertical.
The pilot managed to correct the bank angle and return the aircraft to a wings-level attitude. However, the pilot was unable to control the subsequent loss of altitude before the aircraft made contact with the ground. The pilot later stated that the winds at the time were from 250 degrees at 30 knots.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the operational circumstances surrounding the accident. The primary finding was the encounter with a strong wind gust during the final phase of flight. This environmental factor directly contributed to the aircraft's attitude change and subsequent loss of altitude control.
Findings
- strong wind gust
- wings-vertical attitude
- inability to control altitude loss before ground contact