NTSB Factual Report

On October 6, 2001, at 1410 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N73630, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it departed the right side of runway 35 (3,500 feet by 140 feet, dry turf), and struck a berm at the Welke Airport, Beaver Island, Michigan. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was not on a flight plan. The pilot and his two passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated from the Cherry Capital Airport, Traverse City, Michigan, at 1330.

In a written statement, the pilot said that a, "... sudden unexpected wind gust pushed and lifted [his] aircraft off runway 36. [The] aircraft came back down on the muddy edge, with the nose pointed northeast. Attempts to direct aircraft back towards the runway produced a skid, allowing the aircraft to continue in a northeasterly direction. Upon seeing the berm directly in front of the aircraft, I pulled back hard on the [yoke] and [applied] full left rudder. The aircraft gear (nose and left wheel) hit the top of the berm; the aircraft turned 180 degrees and came to rest. ... Two previous attempts at landing on 27 with go arounds indicated strong winds with varying direction..." The pilot listed no mechanical malfunction in his report of the accident.

A weather reporting station located about 3 miles and 228 degrees from the accident site recorded the winds as 290 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 22 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot not maintaining directional control of the airplane during landing. The gusty crosswind and the berm were factors.