On November 28, 2002, a Piper PA-22-150 (registration N4901S) operated by Nancy Barnes was involved in an aviation accident near Cuba, MO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent nosing over of the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A light aircraft bounced on touchdown, veered off the right side of the runway, and nosed over in a ditch. The pilot failed to maintain directional control in a 12-knot crosswind.
What happened
The airplane experienced a bounce during the landing phase on runway 36. Following the bounce, the aircraft veered off the right side of the runway surface. It then crossed over a ditch and entered a second adjacent ditch, where it came to rest in a nose-over position.
A passenger present in the aircraft indicated that the pilot was not applying rudder input during the landing roll. The passenger also noted the presence of a crosswind component. Weather reports at the time of the accident confirmed winds from 290 degrees at 12 knots, consistent with the reported conditions.
The investigation
Investigation of the event focused on the circumstances surrounding the landing and subsequent departure from the runway. Examination of the scene revealed that the aircraft had left the paved surface, crossed a drainage ditch, and impacted a second ditch, resulting in the nose-over damage.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent nosing over of the aircraft.