Piaggio P.180 N141JT accident near Georgetown, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and the right main landing gear collapsing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot said he was flying the RNAV GPS runway 36 approach in 3 miles visibility and that the wind was from 070° at 9 knots. He sighted the runway at 50 ft above the missed approach point. He said the airplane was slightly right of the runway centerline and that there was a right crosswind. When the right main landing gear (MLG) contacted the runway, it collapsed. The airplane then exited the right side of the runway onto the grass median about 1,000 ft from the end of the runway, and the airplane then came to a stop and the right main landing gear (MLG) to collapse.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane had landed hard, which resulted in the right MLG collapsing. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have resulted in the landing gear collapse.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN18CA058 for the full record.