Cessna 182T N428LB accident near East Hampton, New York

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, while approaching the destination airport, she obtained local wind information that indicated the wind was from 350 degrees. She subsequently entered a left base leg in the traffic pattern for runway 34; however, the pilot of an airplane ahead was approaching runway 28 to practice crosswind landings. The accident pilot then decided to land on runway 28, behind the airplane ahead of her. During the landing roll, she relaxed her crosswind correction inputs and the airplane veered off the left side of the runway onto uneven terrain. The nosegear collapsed, the airplane came to rest upright, and the firewall sustained damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident. The wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, was from 320 degrees at 12 knots.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA270 for the full record.