The pilot overflew the 800-foot long remote airstrip and observed the windsock hanging limp. About the time he reached the approach end of the uphill-sloping runway, the airplane encountered a strong tailwind gust, which pushed it “…too far up the strip to land.” The pilot executed a go-around, but his decision was “too late,” and he was unable to out-climb terrain. During the go-around, the airplanes landing gear came in contact with low growing brush, and it flipped over onto its back. Ground witnesses later told the pilot the winds had been variable in direction and had been changing rapidly from nearly calm to gusting as high as 20 miles per hour.
November 1, 2009, Grangeville, Idaho, Piper PA-18-150
The pilot overflew the 800-foot long remote airstrip and observed the windsock hanging limp. About the time he reached the approach end of the uphill-sloping runway, the airplane encountered a strong tailwind gust, which pushed it "…too far up the strip to land." The pilot executed a go-around, but his decision was "too late," and he was unable to out-climb terrain.
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot attempting to land on a remote airstrip encountered an unexpected strong tailwind gust, making the initial landing attempt unsafe.
- A late go-around was executed, during which the aircraft's landing gear contacted brush, causing it to flip over onto its back.
- Ground witnesses later reported that winds were highly variable and rapidly changing, gusting up to 20 mph, despite the initial observation of a limp windsock.
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