On April 26, 2003, a Boeing A75N1 (registration N55133) was involved in an aviation accident near Houston, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing, a wind gust raised the left wing, causing the aircraft to veer right and exit the runway. The left wing struck the ground and the left rear fuselage hit the PAPI lights.
Incident Overview
An aircraft experienced a runway excursion during landing after encountering a sudden wind shift. The incident occurred as the tail of the airplane began to descend following a normal main wheel touchdown.
Sequence of Events
The main wheels touched down as normal. As the tail of the airplane started to come down, the airplane encountered a wind shift or gust that raised the left wing. Subsequently, the aircraft veered to the right and exited the runway.
Damage
During the excursion, the lower left wing struck the ground. Additionally, the left rear section of the fuselage struck the runway Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) lighting system, resulting in damage to that equipment.