On September 9, 1994, a Cessna 172 (registration N9918Q) operated by HI Valley Aviation, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Bullfrog, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in strong crosswinds, which resulted in the airplane drifting off the runway. 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.
The pilot lost directional control during a landing attempt in strong crosswinds, causing the aircraft to drift off the runway and into a dirt mound.
What happened
The pilot-in-command initiated an approach for a full-stop landing at the airport. Conditions at the time included strong crosswinds with reported gusts reaching 45 miles per hour from the southwest. Upon touchdown on the southerly runway, the aircraft began to drift toward the right side of the pavement. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control during this phase. Consequently, the airplane departed the paved surface and came to rest in a mound of dirt adjacent to the runway.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the incident was the loss of directional control due to strong crosswind conditions exceeding the pilot's ability to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway centerline.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in strong crosswinds, which resulted in the airplane drifting off the runway.
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