On 3 Apr 2008, a Piper PA-22/20 operated by Douglas S. Cairns was involved in an aviation accident near Three Forks, MT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. A gusting crosswind was a contributing factor. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A private pilot's tail-wheel airplane sustained structural damage after a gust of wind lifted the right wing during landing rollout on runway 20, causing the left main landing gear strut to collapse.
Accident Details
A private pilot was landing a tail-wheel equipped airplane on runway 20 in crosswind conditions. According to the pilot's report, during the landing rollout, a sudden gust from the west lifted the right wing and landing gear. As the pilot attempted to correct the situation, the airplane's left main landing gear strut collapsed and the left wing struck the runway surface.
Damage Assessment
The accident resulted in structural damage to the left wing and fuselage of the airplane. No mechanical malfunctions were reported by the pilot or found during inspection.
Weather Conditions
The wind at the time of the accident was reported as coming from 110 degrees at 10 knots, indicating a crosswind component for runway 20.