PVT PLT OF A PIPER PA12; TAILWHEEL ACFT LOST CTL OF THE ACFT DURING LNDG IN A GUSTY XWIND CONDITION RESULTING GOING OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY THROUGH A FENCE INTO A HAY FIELD WHERE IT CAME TO REST ON ITS NOSE. THE PLT; THE SOLE OCCUPANT; WAS NOT INJURED. THE ACFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE PROP; NOSE COWLING; WING STRUT; L LNDG GEAR; WINGTIP AND A FENCE POST.
Synopsis
PVT PLT OF A PIPER PA12; TAILWHEEL ACFT LOST CTL OF THE ACFT DURING LNDG IN A GUSTY XWIND CONDITION RESULTING GOING OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY THROUGH A FENCE INTO A HAY FIELD WHERE IT CAME TO REST ON ITS NOSE. THE PLT; THE SOLE OCCUPANT; WAS NOT INJURED. THE ACFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE PROP; NOSE COWLING; WING STRUT; L LNDG GEAR; WINGTIP AND A FENCE POST.
Narrative
FLEW L TFC PATTERN 1900 FT; NOTICED SOCK STRAIGHT OUT INDICATING A XWIND OF 20 DEGS AT APPROX 10 KTS. I WAS LNDG RWY 16 WHEN A STRONG (30+ KTS) BLEW ACFT TO THE R AND I PUT ACFT INTO FARMER'S MEADOW HITTING A POST WITH THE L GEAR AS I TIRED TO JUMP THE FENCE WITH ACFT. WHEN ACFT SETTLED IT NOSED OVER BECAUSE THE L GEAR WOULDN'T TRACK. I SHUT OFF EVERYTHING AND EXITED THE ACFT. I WAS FINE -- NOTHING BRUISED BUT MY EGO. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE A FLY-BY RIGHT DOWN THE RWY PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING TO LAND. THIS MIGHT HAVE WARNED ME THAT THE XWIND COMPONENT AND GUSTS WERE EXCEEDING THE LIMITS OF THIS ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA CLASSIFIED THIS AS AN INCIDENT AND IS GOING TO RE-EXAMINE THE RPTR FOR PVT PLT COMPETENCY. THE ARPT AT WHICH THIS HAPPENED WAS THE AMELIA EARHART ARPT; ATCHISON; KS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS TAILWHEEL ACFT TYPE AND HAS BEEN PRACTICING IN ANOTHER TAILWHEEL TYPE FOR THE FAA RE-EXAMINATION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.