It's called a ground loop. When a plane lands the pilot has to quickly do two things to keep the plane going straight: get ALL the wheels tight on the ground, and use the rudder and to steer the plane straight. If there is a strong crosswind, it can be quite tricky to do this in a small plane.

Aircraft maintain stability during landing through the precise use of flight control surfaces and automated systems. As a plane descends, pilots (or the autopilot) use the elevators on the tail to control pitch and the ailerons on the wings to manage roll. To keep the plane from "stalling" at the slow speeds required for landing, they extend flaps and slats, which change the wing's shape to create more lift. Once the wheels touch the ground, the "spoiler" panels on top of the wings deploy to "dump" lift, ensuring the plane stays firmly on the runway. Directional control on the ground is maintained using the rudder (controlled by foot pedals) and the nose-wheel steering. In 2026, many commercial airliners also use advanced "Fly-by-Wire" envelope protection, which prevents the pilot from making any control inputs that would exceed the structural or aerodynamic limits of the aircraft, essentially acting as a digital safety net during the high-pressure landing phase.