N87770

On April 7, 1997, at 1130 hours Pacific daylight time, an Aero Commander 100, N87770, was substantially damaged during landing at a private airstrip 1 mile north of Knights Landing, California. The aircraft was being operated by the owner/pilot and he was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Concord, California, at 1050.

The pilot was landing for the first time at a 1,500-foot-long duster strip. He departed from a 4,400-foot-long runway at his home base, and stated that because of the shortness of the runway and the potential for automobile cross traffic at the other end, he attempted a short field landing. However, the approach end of the runway had a dirt berm across it and it was hard to judge the height. As he approached the berm he added power to clear it, but the airplane stalled about 6 to 7 feet agl and landed hard. The airplane bounced and turned left colliding with a metal storage shed. The pilot reported the winds were calm at the time of the landing.