No fatalities

10 Sep 2012: PIPER PA-11 — MORRIS JERRY W — Ft. Morgan, CO

Ft. Morgan, CO, United States

On 10 Sep 2012, a PIPER PA-11 operated by MORRIS JERRY W was involved in an aviation accident near Ft. Morgan, CO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of control during landing after encountering an unexpected wind gust. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A sport pilot experienced a wind gust during a three-point landing, causing the tail wheel to dislodge and a subsequent ground loop that damaged the right wing, aileron, and fuselage.

Accident Overview

During landing practice, a sport pilot executed a three-point, full flap landing on the runway. As the airplane rolled out, an unexpected wind gust struck the left side of the aircraft. The gust forced the tail wheel out of its detent, and the pilot lost directional control. The airplane ground looped, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing, right aileron, and fuselage.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. After the event, both the pilot and a certificated flight instructor noted that the wind was approximately 3 to 4 knots down the runway, with dust devils crossing the runway.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Awareness of condition