| Crash location | 43.404444°N, 94.745555°W |
| Nearest city | Estherville, IA
43.384126°N, 94.848876°W 5.4 miles away |
| Tail number | N33764 |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 14 Jun 2017 |
| Aircraft type | Piper Pa 28 |
| Additional details: | None |
The solo student pilot reported that, as the airplane entered ground effect, while landing in crosswind conditions, a gust of wind lifted the airplane and pushed it to the left. He added that he initiated a go-around and "[pushed] the nose down slightly to gain lift". He further added that, during the go-around, he "must have relaxed the aileron countering the wind", and a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground and spun around.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount.
The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The automated weather observation system located on the airport reported, about 23 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 180° at 15 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The student pilot landed on runway 16.
The student pilot’s failure to maintain crosswind correction during a go-around in gusting wind conditions.