Primary finding
Probable cause
The flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose-over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the flight instructor, during the third approach, he took the controls from the student pilot and informed the student that he would land the airplane. The airplane was configured with "minimal flaps" due to gusting crosswind conditions. During landing, the wind shifted from a quartering headwind to a direct crosswind. The airplane bounced on touchdown and subsequently exited the right side of the runway, entered soft mud, and then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing lift strut. The instructor stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Source record
Factual narrative
According to the flight instructor, during the third approach, he took the controls and informed the student that he would land the airplane. The airplane was configured with "minimal flaps" due to the gusting crosswind conditions. The instructor reported that during landing, the wind shifted from a quartering headwind, to a direct crosswind. The airplane bounced on touchdown and subsequently exited the right side of the runway. It entered the soft mud surface and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. The METAR at the accident airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 17 knots and gusting to 25 knots. The airplane landed on runway 21.