Amateur-built Sonerai N8050R accident near Hood River, Oregon

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the emergency landing roll with a tailwind. Contributing was the partial separation of the left aileron that prompted the pilot to attempt the emergency landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the control stick unexpectedly began buffeting while the airplane was cruising at 3,500 feet mean sea level and 120 miles per hour, and he noticed that the left aileron was becoming detached at its outboard hinge. The pilot immediately flew toward a nearby airfield and conducted an emergency landing. The pilot said he observed that another airplane had previously landed in the opposite direction on the same runway, so to ensure adequate clearance from that airplane he landed on the right side of the runway. The pilot additionally reported that he "flew" his airplane onto the runway and landed with a tailwind at a faster than normal airspeed. During rollout, the airplane veered off the side of the runway, encountered an area of soft dirt, and nosed over. The pilot further reported that he observed that the outboard of three aileron hinges was separated from the wing. The pilot opined that the location of the hinges on the aileron may not have been adequate to support the aileron during flight.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for LAX08LA226 for the full record.