On 21 Mar 2020, a Just JA30 SUPERSTOL Undesignat was involved in an aviation accident near Puyallup, WA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in the wing striking the ground. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot reported that during landing, a gust of wind caused the airplane to weathervane and lift the left wing. Despite applying left aileron and full power, the pilot lost control, resulting in a wing tip strike and collapse of the landing gear.
Accident Summary
During the landing phase, just before touchdown, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the left. This gust caused the airplane to weathervane to the right and the left wing to lift up. The pilot applied left aileron control and full power in an attempt to maintain control, but these actions were unsuccessful. Subsequently, the airplane's right wing tip impacted the ground, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed down.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Contributing factors
PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation