Loss of control has consistently been the leading factor causing landing accidents, according to the annual Nall Report, published by AOPA’s Air Safety Institute. One way to prevent loss of directional control is to learn to consistently stay aligned with the centerline of the runway during the landing phase.
Some tricycle landing gear equipped airplanes are quite forgiving when it comes to imperfect landings, possibly making some pilots complacent. If you land a little bit sideloaded in a training airplane such as Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee, you may stress the tires and gear slightly, but that will likely be the only repercussion. If you’re in a high-performance airplane, which lands at a faster speed and often has more delicate gear, you could get in trouble if your touchdown is not straight. Land sideloaded in a taliwheel airplane and you could be in for a wild ride called a ground loop.
