On May 19, 1991, a Piper PA-18-180 (registration N3182Z) operated by Soar Black Forest was involved in an aviation accident near Elbert, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control during a landing in strong crosswind conditions, which resulted in the right wing striking the ground and the aircraft flipping over. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A glider pilot experienced a hard landing with crosswind gusts that lifted the left wing, causing the right wing to scrape the ground and the aircraft to flip onto its back.
What happened
The pilot had previously released a glider and was returning to the airstrip for a landing. As he flared the aircraft for a full stall landing, a gust of wind lifted the left wing. Full left aileron input failed to stop the upward movement, causing the right wing to scrape the ground. The airplane swerved to the right, went up on its nose, pivoted, and fell on its back.
Findings
The pilot estimated the winds to be from the south southeast at 30 to 40 mph, gusting to over 45 mph. The loss of control was attributed to strong crosswind gusts during the final approach phase.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control during a landing in strong crosswind conditions, which resulted in the right wing striking the ground and the aircraft flipping over.