Piper PA22 N6865B accident near Riverside, California

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to the maintain the runway heading during landing with a crosswind, which resulted in impact with runway lighting and a subsequent ground loop during the landing roll.

NTSB analysis

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on a grass runway, the airplane encountered a "strong crosswind that blew [the airplane] to the left side of the grass." Upon landing, he observed "small grass mounds" rising higher than the mowed grass. As he continued the landing roll, he realized that the grass mounds were runway lights. The airplane hit a runway light and then ground looped to the right.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

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

An automated weather observation station located 3 miles south of the accident site reported that, about 38 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 270° at 15 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 24.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA19CA333 for the full record.