On October 21, 1988, a Cessna 140 (registration N4190N) was involved in an aviation accident near Lawrence, KS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during landing in gusty crosswind conditions. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot terminated a local flight due to windy and turbulent conditions aloft. During the landing attempt, he lost control of the aircraft, resulting in a hard nose-low touchdown.
What happened
The pilot elected to terminate a local flight due to windy and turbulent conditions aloft. He initiated a landing in a slight crosswind that he reported was gusting to 20 knots. During the landing, he lost control and the aircraft touched down hard in a nose-low attitude. Subsequently, it slid to a stop on its nose, damaging the propeller, lower engine cowling, and fuselage.
The investigation
The pilot reported the crosswind gusts during the landing attempt. The aircraft sustained damage to the propeller, lower engine cowling, and fuselage after sliding to a stop on its nose following the hard touchdown.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during landing in gusty crosswind conditions.