Accident Bellanca 7KCAB N333JS, Tuesday 23 April 1996

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Date:	Tuesday 23 April 1996
Time:	08:25 LT
Type:	Bellanca 7KCAB
Owner/operator:	Taildragger Pilots Inc
Registration:	N333JS
MSN:
Total airframe hrs:	2200 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming AEIO-320-E2B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Tucson, AZ - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	, CA (40E)
Destination airport:	(E14)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and noted that the windsock was indicating calm winds. He completed the normal rectangular traffic pattern with no indications of the wind conditions changing. During touchdown a gust of wind from the west raised the right wing, allowing the airplane to drift left. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to correct the drift and then attempted a go-around. The pilot aborted the go-around when he saw a back hoe in his path. The airplane's left wing then collided with the back hoe, which was parked unattended about 20 to 30 feet from the runway's edge. After the accident, the winds were noted to shift periodically with gusts above 15 miles per hour.

Probable Cause: failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for gusting crosswind conditions and to maintain directional control. A factor in the accident was unattended construction equipment parked in close proximity to the runway edge.

Accident investigation: