Light sport aircraft pilot reported loss of aircraft control during landing resulted in a ground loop.

Date: 2025-05 · Aircraft: Light Sport Aircraft · Phase: landing

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|ground-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|ground-event-encounter-weather-turbulence

Synopsis

Light sport aircraft pilot reported loss of aircraft control during landing resulted in a ground loop.

Narrative

I had setup on a stabilized approach to land on runway XXR; maintaining center line to touchdown with appropriate correction given the left crosswind. The winds were about 200 to 220 at 8-10 knots. I prefer to 3 point this aircraft and touched down in full stall; with full flaps. The landing felt very good; with the familiar 'squeak' of the tires making smooth contact with the pavement. But; I had in my mind that the wind was coming from the right despite having flown the final approach clearly correcting for a left crosswind by instinct. So; on rollout and then taxi I began to input more and more right aileron for this incorrectly assumed right crosswind. In doing this I allowed the wind to get up under my upwind wing. Then the aircraft weather-vaned into the wind and entered a ground loop I could not correct with rudder and breaking. We came to rest to the left of centerline; still on the runway. Aside from my ego there were no injuries. I believe I had this incorrect wind direction bias in my thought because as I was taxiing to the runway for departure on Hotel; heading 100; the crosswind was truly from my right and I thought; 'put in correction for this right crosswind;' as I was taxiing. I kept this in my thought all the way into the ground loop until it was too late and despite applying full rudder as well as full aileron into the wind I was unable to recover from the ground loop; perhaps because by this time there was not sufficient airflow over the controls to give them any directional authority.In debriefing with my CFI I have come up with a few corrective actions I will take. I will add 'sock' as in 'windsock' to my GUMPSS checklist on each downwind; base; and final recitation of the checklist. This will help to ensure that if I have incorrectly remembered which way the windsock was blowing as I taxied to the runway I will check it a few more times before touchdown. I will verbalize wind direction out loud; even when I am on my own; so I can hear it in addition to seeing it. I will state; for example; 'left crosswind; expect left crosswind correction.' As I approach the runway on short final I will notice and verbalize out loud which way my nose is wanting to point and what correction I am using to maintain centerline. This will help me double check that I am preparing to enter the correct inputs once I transition from flying to taxiing. I also plan to have a lesson with my CFI to practice crosswind landings together very soon.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.