Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain control of the airplane after encountering a whirlwind during the landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
While on the landing roll at a private strip, after completion of a spraying operation, the aircraft suddenly veered off of the runway, encountered soft terrain, overturned, and began burning. The pilot reported that there were whirlwinds in the area at the time of the accident.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 22, 1996, about 1145 Pacific daylight time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B, N7501Q, registered to and operated by Cropland Air Service Inc. as a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, collided with terrain and was substantially damaged while landing at the Cropland Whisky Creek airstrip near Waitsburg, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The commercial pilot received minor injuries. The pilot stated in his accident report that, while landing, the aircraft veered to the right and went off the runway. He also stated there were whirlwinds in the area at the time. -