Cirrus Design Corp SR22 N88AX accident near Fort Myers, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to land the airplane with a quartering, gusting tailwind and his subsequent failure to flare the airplane and maintain directional control after it bounced, which resulted in a runway excursion.

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that he checked the weather at a local airport and subsequently chose to land on a runway at his destination airport with a quartering tailwind and gusts to 20 knots. While the pilot was performing a steep approach to the runway, a crosswind "push[ed]" the airplane to the left. Further, the pilot did not flare the airplane, and, during the landing, the airplane touched down on the runway and bounced. The pilot added full throttle in an attempt to perform a go-around, but the airplane slid off the runway. He then retarded the engine throttle and attempted to "straighten" out the landing roll; however, the airplane struck a tree, became airborne again, struck more trees, and finally came to rest upright near a house. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, he stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had flown over the field, evaluated the wind sock, and conducted a longer approach flight pattern.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA15LA192 for the full record.