NTSB Factual Report

On March 7, 2003, at approximately 1405 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N8205W, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing roll at Richfield Municipal Airport (RIF), Richfield, Utah. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this cross-country flight being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Montrose, Colorado, at approximately 1100.

According to the pilot's statement, while on the return flight, he received updated weather from an automatic weather observing/reporting system (AWOS). He entered the left downwind for runway 19 at Richfield, and attempted to land. As he began to flare, he encountered a gust of wind from the west. He added power for a go-around and then set up for a landing on runway 01. The touchdown on runway 01 was "normal," but during the landing roll, a gust of wind caught the left wing. He said it "felt like the nose landing gear was skidding across the runway." He attempted to regain control and correct this by adding "full rudder." He thought of applying full power for a go-around, but he felt he was going too slow. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway. After leaving the runway, the nose landing gear "seemed to collapse." The right wing tip struck the ground and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained damage to the right wing, vertical stabilizer and rudder.

During a telephone interview on March 7, 2003, the pilot stated that the winds were approximately 270 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 28 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing roll resulting in a ground loop/swerve and subsequent nose over. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.