On November 25, 1998, a Boeing A75N1 (registration N59734) was involved in an aviation accident near Vacaville, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing variable wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft ground looped and nosed over during landing after the pilot did not notice a change to a slight tailwind. Loss of directional control led to the left wing contacting the runway, and the aircraft exited the runway into soft mud. No aircraft discrepancies were found.
Incident Overview
During landing, an aircraft ground looped and nosed over. The pilot had monitored the Automated Surface Observation System prior to landing, which reported variable winds at 4 to 5 knots. There were two other aircraft in the traffic pattern, and they used the same runway.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that he did not notice that the winds had changed to a slight tailwind. On touchdown, he lost directional control, and the left wing touched the runway. The aircraft then turned sharply off the runway, encountered soft mud, and nosed over.
Aircraft Information
No discrepancies were found with the aircraft. The pilot had not observed the wind shift that resulted in a slight tailwind condition at the time of landing.