On April 5, 1997, a Cessna T210N (registration N4864U) was involved in an aviation accident near Silver City, NM. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The high wind and the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions. Factors were the crosswind and wind gusts. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a crosswind landing to runway 35, a gust pushed the aircraft right; the pilot overcorrected, causing it to exit the left side, continue parallel for about 600 feet, impact a dirt mound, and invert.
Flight and Landing
The pilot overflew the airport at midfield and observed that the windsock was fully extended, confirming that the winds were over 10–15 MPH. The pilot extended the flaps to 30 degrees and initiated a crosswind landing to runway 35. The aircraft touched down just past the runway numbers.
Incident Sequence
During the landing roll, a gust of wind pushed the aircraft to the right. In an attempt to keep the aircraft on the runway, the pilot overcorrected, causing the aircraft to exit the left side of the runway. The aircraft continued parallel to the runway for approximately 600 feet, impacted a mound of dirt, and came to rest inverted.
Wind Conditions
A local law enforcement officer reported that the winds at the accident site were westerly at 25 to 35 MPH, with gusts up to 45 MPH.