No fatalities

Aircraft Strikes Sign After Runway Excursion During Landing in Gusty Winds

Hartford, CT, United States

On August 23, 2010, a BEECH P35 operated by FOLEY WILLIAM M was involved in an aviation accident near Hartford, CT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind, resulting in a loss of directional control during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that during landing in gusty winds, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck a sign, causing substantial fuselage damage. The pilot inadvertently applied excessive left brake pressure.

Accident Details

A single-pilot aircraft experienced a runway excursion during landing on runway 2, resulting in a collision with a sign. The incident caused substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage. The pilot was the sole occupant and reported no injuries.

Pilot Report

According to the pilot, during the landing sequence, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the right. In response, the pilot applied full right rudder, but the aircraft continued to drift to the left. While attempting to move his feet to the brakes, the pilot inadvertently applied excessive pressure to the left brake. This caused the airplane to veer further left, departing the runway surface and striking a sign. The pilot noted that no mechanical anomalies were present with the airplane prior to or during the event. He also stated that he had been flying for approximately four hours at the time of the accident.

Weather Information

Meteorological data from the airport at the time of the occurrence indicated winds from 020 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 23 knots. These conditions were consistent with the pilot's description of a gust from the right.

Probable Cause

The investigation did not assign a probable cause; the report detailed the pilot's account of the sequence of events without an official determination of causal factors.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Sign/marker