Beech A23 N8775M accident near Sedalia, Missouri

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing rollout due to the unexpected wind shift, which resulted in a runway excursion.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was conducting touch-and-go landings and had landed uneventfully four times. The fifth touchdown was soft; however, the airplane suddenly turned about 90° to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and reduced the throttle to idle. The airplane departed the runway surface, during which the right horizontal stabilizer struck a light post and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that the left brake had locked while braking on rollout. A functional check of the braking system and flight controls did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation; both left and right wheel brake mechanisms functioned properly.

Reported wind conditions about the time of the accident were wind from 230° at 7 knots. However, the pilot indicated that he had checked the local weather about 20 minutes before landing, which reported wind from 100° at 3 knots. Therefore, the crosswind component would have been about 130° opposite, and 4 knots increased, from what the pilot had previously received. The pilot likely lost directional control of the airplane during the landing due to the unexpected wind shift.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN18LA220 for the full record.