On July 2, 2005, a Cessna 152 (registration N89073) operated by Florida Aviation Career Training, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near St. Augustine, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway and nosing over. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A gust of wind lifted the left wing after landing, causing the pilot to lose control on rain-saturated grass and resulting in a nose-over accident.
What happened
The pilot reported that shortly after touchdown, a sudden gust of wind originating from the left rear quadrant lifted the left wing of the aircraft. This aerodynamic disturbance caused the airplane to veer sharply to the left off the paved surface. The pilot attempted to regain directional control but was unable to do so in time. The aircraft then exited the runway and entered rain-saturated grass. As it moved across the soft ground, the nose landing gear dug into the mud, causing the airplane to nosed over.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's account of the post-landing events. Examination confirmed that the aircraft had departed the runway surface onto wet, muddy terrain following the loss of control.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in the airplane veering off the runway and nosing over.