No fatalities

17 May 2011: SOUTHERN AIRMOTIVE CORP. SAC Junior Ace — FORMAN CLIFFORD N — Taccoa, GA

Taccoa, GA, United States

On 17 May 2011, a SOUTHERN AIRMOTIVE CORP. SAC Junior Ace operated by FORMAN CLIFFORD N was involved in an aviation accident near Taccoa, GA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions during landing, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with a hangar. This summary draws on records from NTSB.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

An experimental tailwheel airplane struck a hangar after aborting a landing due to crosswind gusts. Substantial damage to both wings occurred; no pre-impact malfunctions were found.

Accident Details

On an unspecified date, a pilot was flying an experimental tailwheel airplane in the traffic pattern. During the landing approach, the pilot applied rudder to compensate for crosswind gusts while on final approach, approximately 15 feet above the runway. As the airplane touched down, it began to drift toward the right side of the runway. The pilot attempted to correct the drift with left rudder and subsequently decided to abort the landing. However, the airplane continued through a grassy area and collided with the side of a hangar, resulting in substantial damage to both wings.

Investigation

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane following the accident. The inspection revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures, indicating that the aircraft was operating normally prior to the impact.

Weather

The nearest weather reporting station, located approximately 30 miles southwest of the accident airport, reported wind from 290 degrees at the time of the accident, with gusts reaching 17 knots. The pilot had reported crosswind gusts on final approach.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot