Loss of control Accident Rand Robinson KR-1 N6155X,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 287343
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Tuesday 25 September 2012
Time:13:15 LT
Type:Rand Robinson KR-1
Owner/operator:Steve Glover
Registration: N6155X
MSN: 21551
Total airframe hrs:600 hours
Engine model:Volkswagen CONVERSION
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Albuquerque, New Mexico -   United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Winslow Airport, AZ (INW/KINW)
Destination airport:Amarillo-Tradewind Airport, TX (TDW/KTDW)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Enroute during a day VFR cross country flight, the expected weather conditions deteriorated near the intended destination airport. The reported weather included convective activity with wind from 300 degrees at 24 knots, gusting to 35 knots. Convective cells were visible around the airport. The pilot radioed his intentions to land on runway 22 and entered a right downwind. The pilot said that his weather radar was indicating that conditions had worsened. The wind had increased significantly, it was raining, and the pilot started to see lightning on his weather radar instruments. The pilot considered going to another airport, however, he thought that the surrounding weather gave him no other options but to land. On final approach, the crosswind was much greater than expected so the pilot executed a go-around. It appeared, according to the windsock, that runway 35 was a better choice for landing. The tower air traffic controller cleared the pilot to land on runway 35. The pilot lined up on final approach toward the left edge of the runway because the wind was still gusting a lot (about 70 degrees from the left), and he knew that there would be some drift. He carried a bit more airspeed on final in an attempt to maintain better control to touchdown. The airplane was in a hard slip/crab into the wind with the left wing low. Passing over the runway numbers, the airplane's nose was faced into the wind and was still being pushed across the runway. It seemed that all was going well, and just before the pilot thought the airplane was going to touch down, without notice, the left wing lifted the and the airplane rolled into about 80 degrees right bank. The airplane was blown nearly feet off the runway and the pilot immediately applied full power. After rolling to the left, the airplane settled and slammed into the ground, bounced, and became airborne again before impacting the ground in a nose down attitude. The airplane slid about 75 feet before coming to rest. The fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained structural damage. No mechanical anomalies were found.

Probable Cause: The loss of control during landing/flare resulting from the pilot's decision to land in high wind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the gusting wind and sudden wind shift during a critical phase of landing.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN12CA673
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 10 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CEN12CA673

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
04-Oct-2022 09:57 ASN Update Bot Added

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org