Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 550; Flight Crew Type 36
Situational Awareness
Ground Excursion Runway; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Aircraft; Human Factors; Weather
A loss of directional control occurred during the landing roll out phase on Runway 09. Runway 09 is 7;000 FT by 100 FT grooved runway. The wind was from the north at approximately 8 knots. The runway edge lights were not activated. Braking action was good and no standing water was observed on the runway. The light rain obscured the forward windscreen slightly; but forward vision was good. The touchdown was uneventful and a successful crosswind wheel landing was made. This flight was the student's first practice landing in moderate crosswinds. The aircraft touched down 4-5 feet left of center-line. As the airplane slowed; the nose began to veer to the left into the wind due to the lack of appropriate aileron input by the student flying. The aircraft continued to the left despite full opposite rudder input by the instructor. The student had the control stick firmly centered and the instructor's attempt to input left aileron was unsuccessful and delayed. The aircraft left main gear subsequently departed the left side of Runway 09; the right main gear remained on the pavement. The student; with the instructor's assistance; made a successful recovery to runway center-line. No damage to the aircraft or runway edge lights occurred. The light rain was not a factor. The cause is determined to be the student's lack of crosswind correction after touchdown and during the landing roll out and the instructor's subsequent delayed response in aileron input.
Flight instructor in a tailwheel aircraft reports a runway excursion during his students first crosswind landing. No damage is reported.