On July 6, 1997, a Cessna 170B (registration N211R) was involved in an aviation accident near Jackson, WY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing due to a gust of wind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A light aircraft veered off the runway and nosed over during landing at an airport where wind gusts reached 16 knots, causing the pilot to lose directional control.
What happened
The accident occurred while the pilot was attempting to land on runway 18. According to the pilot's report to airport personnel, a sudden gust of wind struck the airplane just as it was about to touch down on the pavement. This crosswind component caused the aircraft to veer off the side of the runway.
As the airplane left the paved surface, it subsequently nosed over. At the time of the incident, weather observations at the airport indicated winds from 240 degrees at nine knots with gusts reaching up to 16 knots. The pilot stated that he was unable to maintain directional control during this critical phase of flight due to the wind conditions.
Findings
The investigation focused on the environmental conditions and the pilot's account of the event. The primary factor identified was the loss of directional control caused by the gusting wind during the landing rollout.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing due to a gust of wind.