NTSB Factual Report

According to the pilot, he was landing on runway 18 at a bayside airport with winds reported from the tower as being from 270 degrees at 15 knots. The airplane touched down on the "main wheels," and the pilot held control yoke back-pressure until the nose wheel touched down. The airplane then veered 90 degrees to the left, "did a small skip/bounce," departed the runway, and crossed a grassy area. It then struck a seawall, went over it, and came to rest nose-down, almost vertically, with salt water almost to the cockpit. The left wing and the fuselage were substantially damaged. Neither the pilot nor the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported any preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Winds were also recorded at the airport 1 minute before the accident as being from 240 degrees true at 10 knots. The airport had a runway 25, but it was closed at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing.