On October 1, 2002, a Maule M-7-235C (registration N4269B) operated by Gregory L. Vrentas was involved in an aviation accident near San Antonio, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to compensate for the existing winds conditions. A contributing factor was the prevailing tailwind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A 266-hour private pilot attempted to land on runway 30 with a 14-knot crosswind. During rollout, a gust lifted the right wing, and corrective actions failed, resulting in collision with a 3-foot wall.
Incident Overview
A private pilot with 266 hours of flight experience was conducting a landing on runway 30. The wind was reported from 160 degrees at 14 knots, creating a downwind component. During the landing rollout, the pilot retracted the flaps. He stated that a right crosswind gust then lifted the right wing, causing the right main landing gear to rise off the ground.
Pilot Actions
In response to the wing lift, the pilot initiated corrective action to level the wings and applied additional right rudder to realign the aircraft with the runway. Despite these efforts, the pilot was unable to regain control, and the airplane subsequently collided with a 3-foot wall following a loss of control.
Outcome
The aircraft impacted a wall adjacent to the runway. The pilot did not report any injuries. The extent of damage to the aircraft is not specified in the available information.