Casualties unknown

Runway Excursion During Landing Roll in Crosswind Conditions (N2357Z)

Brackettville, TX, US

On August 15, 1995, a Piper PA-18-150 (registration N2357Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Brackettville, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE VARIABLE CROSSWIND. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

During landing roll with a left quartering crosswind, the aircraft veered left, corrective action failed, and full power application caused a right swing. The aircraft departed the runway, struck a fence, and came to rest on a highway.

Accident Sequence

The pilot reported that during the landing roll, with a left front quartering crosswind, the nose of the aircraft turned to the left. Corrective action was taken without results. The pilot then applied full power in an attempt to straighten the aircraft with the runway and take off to avoid other problems. As full power was applied, the nose of the aircraft swung to the far right and would not respond back to the left. The aircraft departed the right side of the runway, struck a fence, and came to rest on the edge of Highway 131.

Damage

The accident resulted in structural damage to the airframe adjacent to the main landing gear attaching points.

Weather Conditions

According to the operator, the pilot was landing on a heading of 195 degrees to a private airstrip. The owner of the airstrip reported that the winds at the time of the accident were variable from the east at 10 mph gusting to 20 mph, with the windsock turning more than 30 degrees during these gusts.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001207X04270. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.