N2608Q

On July 19,1998, at 1145 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182, N2608Q, was substantially damaged during landing at Katama Airpark (1B2), Edgartown, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot/owner and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Hampton Airfield (7B3), Goffstown, New Hampshire, about 1100.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated the purpose of the flight was to fly to Edgartown, and then return to 7B3. The pilot stated she performed a straight-in approach for landing at the grass strip. She reported the approach was "normal" but she landed hard. The pilot stated her back seat passengers thought it was "normal" for a grass field landing.

While preparing for the return flight to 7B3, the pilot discovered structural damage to the airplane. Further examination revealed a wrinkled fuselage and collapsed firewall. The nose wheel also appeared off-center and collapsed.

A ferry permit was requested to reposition the airplane to a repair station. Examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspectors revealed the airplane had sustained substantial damage and was unsafe to fly.

According to the repair order provided by the owner, the airplane required 15 hours of work before it could be ferried to the repair station. Prior to return to service, the repair station repaired the "...firewall area of a/c by installing new firewall, new forward belly skin and new r/h fwd skin. Repaired cracks in both L/H and R/H tunnel bulkheads."

At the time of the accident, weather reported at Martha's Vineyard (MVY), 4.6 nautical miles to the northwest of 1B2 was; clear skies with variable winds at 04 knots.

The pilot reported approximately 400 hours of flight experience of which 40 hours were in the Cessna 182.