Cessna 182 N5419E accident near Clarksville, Tennessee

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to land with a tailwind in variable crosswind and downdraft and updraft conditions on a wet runway, which resulted in a runway overrun.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, the weather began to deteriorate during the previous approach and the airplane encountered updrafts and downdrafts. Additionally, he noticed that it had begun to rain, and he aborted the landing. He reported that, during the next approach, there was a variable crosswind and that the updrafts and downdrafts continued. He added that, during the landing roll, the wind direction may have shifted to a tailwind and that the brakes did not have "the normal stopping effect." The airplane overran the runway and struck a fence before coming to rest on a public road.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing spar.

Ten minutes before the accident, the METAR at the airport reported that the wind was from 260° at 9 knots and lightning was in the distance from the west to northeast.

About the time of the accident, the wind was from 350° at 24 knots, gusting to 33 knots with a peak wind from 350° at 33 knots and lightning in the distance from the west to northeast.

Ten minutes after the accident, the METAR reported that the wind was from 10° at 20 knots, gusting to 31 knots with a peak wind from 350° at 33 knots and shifting and lightening in all quadrants with thunderstorms and light rain. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 23.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA18CA260 for the full record.