No fatalities

Wind Gust During Soft Field Landing Leads to Wing Strike on Wind Sock Pole

Bethany Center, NY, United States

On September 20, 2014, a CESSNA 182A was involved in an aviation accident near Bethany Center, NY. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain a directional control of the airplane during gusting wind conditions. 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 attempting a soft field landing on runway 27 encountered a wind gust, causing the airplane to veer right and strike a wind sock pole, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing.

Event Details

According to the pilot, he was performing a soft field landing on runway 27. After a stable approach and touchdown, a gust of wind was encountered. The airplane then veered to the right, and the pilot was unable to stop the aircraft before the right wing struck a wind sock pole. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation.

Investigation

An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) examined the airplane following the incident. The inspection confirmed that the right wing had sustained substantial damage. No other information regarding the aircraft type, registration, or additional details was provided in the source.

Damage

The right wing of the airplane was substantially damaged as a result of the collision with the wind sock pole. The extent of damage to other components was not reported.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operationContributed to outcome