No fatalities

Runway Departure During Landing Due to Gust and Pilot Overcompensation

Laurel, MT, United States

On May 30, 2016, a PIPER PA 18-150 A150 operated by Tri-W Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Laurel, MT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing touchdown, resulting in a runway excursion and substantial damage to the both wings. 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 reported that a gust lifted the right wing during landing, causing the aircraft to drift left. Overcompensation with right rudder led to a runway exit, left main gear collapse, and substantial wing damage.

Incident Description During the landing phase, the pilot stated that a gust of wind lifted the aircraft's right wing, which forced the airplane to the left side of runway 32. In response, the pilot reported overcompensating with right rudder input. This action caused the aircraft to exit the right side of the runway. Following the runway departure, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. ## Mechanical Condition The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations. ## Meteorological Conditions The meteorological aerodrome report from the nearest weather reporting facility, located about 11 miles northeast of the accident site, was recorded at the time of the accident. The report indicated: 310353Z 07005KTS 10SM FEW075 FEW150 SCT200 11/02 A3013 RMK AO2.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on equipment