On June 28, 2001, a Cessna U206D (registration N72218) operated by Lake Mead Air was involved in an aviation accident near Boulder City, NV. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The commercial pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the aircraft veering off the runway and striking a berm after being affected by a tailwind gust. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A commercial pilot lost control of the aircraft during landing on runway 27L after a tailwind gust raised the left wing, causing the plane to veer off the runway and strike a berm.
What happened
The commercial pilot was operating an airplane during a landing maneuver on runway 27L. Upon initial contact with the pavement, a 10-knot tailwind gust occurred, which had the effect of raising the left wing of the aircraft. This aerodynamic disturbance caused the airplane to veer off the right side of the designated runway surface.
While attempting to correct the trajectory and realign the aircraft with the runway centerline, the pilot applied additional power. During this maneuver, the nose section and the left main landing gear collapsed upon impact with a berm located adjacent to the runway.
Probable cause
The commercial pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the aircraft veering off the runway and striking a berm after being affected by a tailwind gust.