On 24 May 2014, a PIPER PA 28R-200 200 operated by David D. Campbell was involved in an aviation accident near La Pointe, WI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot reported a strong gust from the right during final approach, resulting in an awkward touchdown, a hard landing, veering, and a runway excursion. The right wing separated after contacting a tree.
Accident Details
A pilot reported that the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind from the right while on final approach to an island airport. The pilot applied aileron and rudder inputs to correct for the gust, but the airplane touched down awkwardly on the runway.
Sequence of Events
After the initial touchdown, the pilot applied back pressure on the yoke, causing the airplane to become airborne again before landing hard onto the runway. Following the hard landing, the airplane veered to the right and then to the left, subsequently departing the left side of the runway. The right wing separated from the airplane when it contacted a tree, after which the airplane came to rest.
Wind Conditions
The recorded wind condition at an airport located 18 miles from the accident site indicated a variable wind direction at 5 knots.
Contributing factors
Causes
PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained