Columbia Aircraft Mfg. LC41-550FG N1387C accident near Columbus, Ohio

Probable cause

The pilot not maintaining directional control during the landing. Contributing to the accident were the gusty crosswinds and the airport sign that was impacted.

NTSB analysis

The pilot had flown a cross country flight on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot reported that while on approach he picked up recorded weather which was "winds from 310 at 9 gusting to 15, 10 miles visibility, a few clouds at 9,500’ and altimeter 29.63" and that he was cleared to land on runway 27L. The pilot asked for a wind check and the tower reported the wind as "from 300 at 20 with no mention of gusts." The pilot used full flaps during the landing and reported an indicated airspeed of 95-100 knots. He reported that during the flare he experienced "normal ground-effect 'turbulence'" and "focused on maintaining the centerline and allowing airspeed to bleed off to land smoothly." He stated that immediately upon touchdown, the airplane began veering about 20 degrees to the left. He said that he tried to correct with right rudder only. The pilot said that he "determined that more aggressive correction was unsafe and instead decided to exit the runway into the grassy area between the runway and the airport ramp area." The airplane's left wing struck a runway light and then the 3,000 feet remaining sign.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CHI08CA138 for the full record.