Incident Overview
A positioning flight to Hartford-Brainard Airport ended with the aircraft being damaged beyond repair after the pilot lost control during landing. The pilot reported encountering strong crosswinds upon arrival. After touchdown, the airplane veered off the runway, losing its undercarriage before coming to rest near the runway shoulder. The pilot was unhurt.
Sequence of Events
The flight was a positioning operation to Hartford-Brainard Airport. As the aircraft approached the runway, the pilot faced challenging wind conditions. The wind was reported as a right crosswind at 80 degrees, with a speed of 25 knots gusting to 35 knots. Upon landing, the pilot lost control, and the aircraft departed the runway surface. The undercarriage was separated from the aircraft during the excursion. The airplane came to a stop on the runway shoulder, sustaining damage that rendered it beyond economical repair.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was that the pilot exercised poor judgment and landed with unfavorable wind conditions. Specifically, the landing was attempted in a right crosswind of 80 degrees at 25 knots, gusting to 35 knots.