| Crash location | 42.765278°N, 96.934444°W |
| Nearest city | Vermillion, SD
42.791664°N, 96.958656°W 2.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N32394 |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 18 Apr 2008 |
| Aircraft type | Piper PA-32-260 |
| Additional details: | None |
On April 18, 2008, at 1130 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32-260, N32394, experienced a loss of control while landing on runway 30 (4,105 feet by 75 feet, concrete) at the Davidson Airport, Vermillion, South Dakota. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to the firewall and left wing. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Rapid City, South Dakota, at 0805 mountain daylight time.
The pilot reported the local winds were from 020 degrees at 14 knots when he landed. He stated that after touching down, the wind pushed the airplane off the left side of the runway. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest when it contacted an area of grass and soft sand. The pilot reported he did not use enough rudder to compensate for the wind.
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the crosswind condition. Contributing to the accident were the crosswind and the soft terrain.