NTSB Factual Report

The pilot of the tailwheel airplane was performing a landing to runway 9, a 2,500-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, turf runway. During the landing, the wind was gusting up to 18 knots from varying directions. The wind was initially a headwind, then a left crosswind, and then a right crosswind. As the airplane touched down, a gust of wind caused the airplane to drift left off of the runway. The airplane traveled down an embankment, struck a tree, and came to rest nose down. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the wings and right horizontal stabilizer. The recorded wind at an airport located about 10 miles southeast of the accident site, about 20 minutes after the accident, was from 110 degrees at 10 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in a gusty variable crosswind.