NTSB Factual Report

On May 14, 2003, approximately 1015 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 single-engine airplane, N1470X, sustained substantial damage following a loss of control while landing at the Montgomery County Airport (CXO), near Conroe, Texas. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The supervised solo flight departed CXO approximately 1000.

The 17-hour student pilot reported he was attempting the third landing to runway 19 on his first supervised solo flight. During the landing flare, "approximately 5-6 feet off the runway my right wing jerked severely to the left." The pilot "lost control for a couple of seconds before [he] was able to level the wings. The windshear tossed the plane 40-50 degrees to the left..." Subsequently, the airplane's nose gear touched down and collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright on the left side of the runway. The pilot reported at the time of the accident, the wind was from 190 degrees at 10 knots.

An FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported both wing spars were bent, and the firewall was buckled.

At 1038, the CXO automated surface observation system (ASOS) reported the wind from 190 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

the student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind. A contributing factor was the gusting wind conditions.