Piper PA-22-108 N4588Z accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that during he felt a gust of wind from the left that lifted the left wing. The pilot stated that he overcorrected, the airplane became unstable, and he decided to perform a go-around. After the pilot initiated the go-around, the airplane veered to the right of the runway, struck a runway distance remaining sign, and then became airborne. The pilot reported that the elevator became jammed in a nose-up attitude after it struck the sign. The airplane reached an altitude of about 400 ft above ground level before the pilot regained control and returned to land without further incident. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing strut, elevator, and horizontal stabilizer.

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had established better directional control before initiating the go-around.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN26LA053 for the full record.