No fatalities

16 Dec 2011: BEECH J35 — BECKER LAWRENCE D — Cheyenne, WY

Cheyenne, WY, United States

On 16 Dec 2011, a BEECH J35 operated by BECKER LAWRENCE D was involved in an aviation accident near Cheyenne, WY. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind, which resulted in a loss of directional control. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing flare on runway 27, the aircraft veered right, left the runway, descended a grass slope, and struck the airport boundary chain link fence. Winds were from 230° at 10 knots.

Accident Description

The pilot of the aircraft was conducting a landing on runway 27. He characterized the approach and touchdown as normal until the landing flare phase. At that point, the airplane unexpectedly yawed to the right and departed the paved runway surface. The aircraft then traveled down an adjacent grass-covered slope before contacting the airport perimeter fence, which was constructed of chain link. The sequence ended with the airplane against the fence.

Meteorological Information

Local airport automated weather reporting at the time recorded wind from 230 degrees true at 10 knots. Sky condition was clear, with no precipitation or significant visibility restrictions noted.

Pilot Narrative

In a statement, the pilot disclosed that the landing was proceeding routinely. He noted that the deviation occurred suddenly during the flare and that he was unable to correct the heading before the aircraft left the runway.

Aircraft Mechanical Condition

A post-accident assessment revealed no evidence of any mechanical failures or system malfunctions that would have affected the aircraft's performance or controllability. The flight had been uneventful up to the landing attempt.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome