On April 15, 1995, a Piper PA-20-125 (registration N7483K) operated by Troy D. Peterson was involved in an aviation accident near Koliganek, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE STUDENT PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT IS A CROSSWIND. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot reported that while landing a tail wheel airplane in a 30-35 knot easterly crosswind, the wind lifted the right wing, causing the left wing to contact the ground, leading to loss of directional control and the aircraft nosing over.
Incident Details
A student pilot was landing a tail wheel airplane when a strong crosswind led to a loss of control. The landing was being conducted to the northeast with a prevailing 30-35 knot easterly crosswind. During the landing roll, the wind lifted the right wing, which caused the left wing to contact the ground. The student pilot reported being unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane subsequently nosed over.
Pilot Report
The student pilot, who had accrued an estimated 4,500 hours of total flight experience, stated that he had two passengers aboard at the time of the incident. No other details about the flight, such as the aircraft type, registration, or location, were provided in the report.