At 18:45 EDT, a Piper Warrior was substantially damaged after a loss of control during landing at the Zelienople Municipal Airport but the pilot was not injured. The pilot said the purpose of the flight was to practice some crosswind flying. The pilot said that when the airplane climbed above the trees at the departure end of runway 35, I realized I had made a mistake. In a written statement, the pilot reported that when he landed, but before the nose wheel touched down, a strong gust pushed the aircraft off of the right side of the runway onto a flat grassy section. The left wheel struck one of the runway lights which were off to the side of the runway. Butler County Airport, 10 miles east of 8G7, reported winds from 230 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 22 knots. At the Beaver County Airport, 10 miles west of 8G7, the winds reported 5 minutes after the accident were from 270 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 40 knots. The maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the Warrior is 17 knots. When asked, the pilot said he was unaware of the limitation.
Apr. 6, Zelienople, Pa. / Piper PA-28-161 Warrior
At 18:45 EDT, a Piper Warrior was substantially damaged after a loss of control during landing at the Zelienople Municipal Airport but the pilot was not injured. The pilot said the purpose of the flight was to practice some crosswind flying. The pilot said that when the airplane climbed above the trees at the departure end of runway 35, I realized I had made a mistake. In a written statement, the pilot reported that when he landed, but before the nose wheel touched down, a strong gust pushed the aircraft off of the right side of the runway onto a flat grassy section. The left wheel struck one of the runway lights which were off to the side of the runway. Butler County Airport, 10 miles...
Key Takeaways:
- A Piper Warrior sustained substantial damage after a loss of control during crosswind landing practice at Zelienople Municipal Airport, though the pilot was uninjured.
- The aircraft was pushed off the runway by a strong gust, striking a light, with the pilot admitting realizing a mistake after departure.
- Nearby airports reported significant crosswinds, with gusts up to 40 knots, suggesting challenging conditions.
- The pilot was unaware of the Piper Warrior's 17-knot maximum demonstrated crosswind component, which was likely exceeded by the reported gusts.
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