Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of control during landing roll with a gusty tailwind.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that prior to landing, he obtained the current weather, which included the current wind. After he performed a normal crosswind landing, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the right, and the right wing began to rise. The pilot attempted to correct the movement with full aileron and rudder control inputs; however, the wing continued to rise as the airplane slid to the left and weathervaned to the right. The left wing impacted the runway, and the left main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 18, with the wind from 240° at 8 knots, however, recorded video of the accident showed that at the time of the loss of control, a right quartering tailwind existed.