On March 7, 2002, a Schweizer G-164B (registration N48631) was involved in an aviation accident near Dixon, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to land off-center to avoid mud puddles, which resulted in the right main landing gear contacting soft dirt and causing the airplane to depart the runway during a quartering tailwind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot attempting to avoid mud puddles landed off-center, causing the right main gear to dig into soft dirt during a quartering tailwind. The aircraft veered off the runway and came to rest inverted.
What happened
The airplane departed the paved surface during the landing phase and sustained significant damage, coming to rest in an inverted position. According to the pilot's account, he had previously completed several successful flights using this specific runway earlier on the same day. The decision to deviate from the standard approach path was driven by the presence of mud puddles on the active runway.
To avoid these surface hazards, the pilot elected to land off the runway center line. During the accident landing, conditions included a quartering tailwind. As the aircraft touched down, the right main landing gear encountered soft dirt adjacent to the paved surface. The gear dug into the ground, causing the airplane to veer off the runway and ultimately invert.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical condition of the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the departure from the runway. Examination revealed that the right main gear was the primary point of contact with the soft terrain. No pre-impact mechanical failures were identified as contributing factors to the event.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to land off-center to avoid mud puddles, which resulted in the right main landing gear contacting soft dirt and causing the airplane to depart the runway during a quartering tailwind.