Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate crosswind landing technique, resulting in an excessive side load on the left landing gear that led to an overload failure of its axle.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot said that while landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on runway 35 with a north-northeast wind of 8 mph, he failed to lower the right wing into the wind. The wind raised the right wing while he was using left rudder. The airplane swerved to the east and the left wheel broke off. The airplane then nosed down, buckling the firewall. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors who examined the airplane reported the left axle bore a fracture surface consistent with an overload failure.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN09CA552 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Aug 29, 2009
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Abilene, Kansas
- Nearest airport
- Abilene Municipal (K78)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 150F
- N-number
- N8312G
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.