Crosswinds

Crosswinds are still taking their toll during take-offs and landings.
It appears pilots are not paying enough attention to winds until drift or weathercocking becomes significant. Then it is often too late.
The Cessna 150 pilot was taking off on runway 35 at the Arborg, MB airport with the wind gusting from the northwest when the aircraft drifted right and the right main tire entered a snow drift. The pilot rejected the takeoff, the aircraft tipped over and came to rest on its nose and right wing.
The pilot of a Stinson 108 commenced a takeoff on a narrow runway with a left crosswind component. The aircraft began to weathercock into wind and the pilot corrected with right rudder and brake. The aircraft continued left into a snow bank at the edge of the runway and nosed over.
The pilot of a Piper PA 22-135 TriPacer modified to a tail wheel configuration was attempting to takeoff with a light crosswind when it veered to the left. The aircraft departed the runway, encountered soft ground and nosed over.
While attempting a crosswind landing on runway 13 at Tisdale, SK the pilot of a Cessna 170B lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft departed the right side of the runway, resulting in damage to the left wing, left landing gear and the propeller. The wind was from 200 degrees at five to seven knots.
The Cessna 177B Cardinal pilot was operating out of his farm strip with a five knot, 90 degree crosswind. On landing, the aircraft drifted to the side of the runway in spite of hard braking, and ran into hard crusted snow. The nose gear failed and the aircraft came to rest of the side of the strip.
The Bellanca 1731A pilot observed the wind was gusting from the right while on the final approach to runway 20 at Southend, SK. After landing, the pilot was unable to keep the aircraft on the runway with ailerons and rudder. The aircraft departed the left side of the runway. The right wing, landing gear and propeller sustained considerable damage.
We are too complacent about winds. Before taking off, we check the wind to determine the appropriate runway and then we often don't give it another thought until the aircraft starts to weathercock into the wind or drift off the centerline. Most of the time the wind is fairly light and we are able to apply the correct control inputs in time to get airborne safely. Likely we learned nothing from the incident.
The last thing we should do before taking to the runway is to assess the wind one more time. We must begin the take-off roll with the correct aileron and rudder inputs, and then adjust these inputs as required to keep the aircraft on the center line.
This is especially important when attempting soft field takeoffs, as the C-150 pilot above discovered. The nose high attitude blocks our forward view of the runway making it more difficult to see the effect of a crosswind. If we are not paying adequate attention to drift, we won't see it until it is too late.
Complacency during take-off in a conventional gear (tail wheel) aircraft is dangerous as the Stinson 108 and PA 22-135 pilots discovered. Slipstream effect, torque, and gyroscopic effect require concentration to control as the tail is lifted off the runway. Any crosswind, no matter how light, will have a significant effect on that big sail in the rear, and the aircraft will want to weathercock. This tendency has to be corrected immediately. If we are not prepared for the crosswind, we may not notice the swing into wind in time to correct for it.
Accidents involving crosswinds on landing are even more common. Pilots usually fly the final approach with correct aileron and rudders inputs to maintain the center of the runway. They usually hold those inputs throughout the flare for landing. We must remember however, that as the aircraft slows down, the crosswind has more effect on the aircraft. The aileron and rudder inputs must be progressively increased. We must continue to increase the aileron and rudder inputs after the main wheels touch down so that by the time the nose wheel touches down we may have full aileron into the wind, which is where it should be for taxi. We have a tendency to relax when the main wheels touch the ground and mistakenly return the ailerons to neutral. Even a fairly light crosswind can still cause weathercocking or drift off the runway.
Soft and short field landings are particularly susceptible to unnoticed weathercocking or drift, as the pilot is concentrating on the soft or short field technique.
Conventional gear aircraft are even more susceptible to crosswinds on landing. The C-170 pilot discovered that even a light crosswind could give him the ride of his life.
A three-point landing in a conventional gear aircraft has a very nose high attitude, making it difficult to see drift occurring until it is pronounced. Cues other than forward vision must be used to eliminate drift and to notice immediately if the tail is beginning to swing. It doesn't take much of a swing before the aircraft is in an uncontrollable ground loop. The advantage of this method of landing is the tail can be pinned immediately with aft elevator control to reduce the tendency to swing and to help with the tail wheel steering.
Many tail dragger pilots prefer a wheel landing in a crosswind as this nose attitude allows for better forward visibility and easier assessment of drift and weathercocking. Problems arise however, as the tail is lowered. Pilots have to be aware that rudder and into wind aileron inputs have to be increased significantly as the tail is being lowered to avoid weathercocking. They must correct for the slightest indication of the tail beginning to swing and they must pin the tail wheel with full aft elevator input as quickly as possible.
Winds are part of takeoffs and landings. Winds are often variable and unpredictable. Winds should never be taken for granted. If we don't pay enough attention to the wind, we may end up with bent metal and bent pride.