N124GH

On May 8, 1999, about 1530 mountain daylight time, a Lancair IV, N124GH, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 pleasure flight, landed hard at the Bert Mooney Airport, Butte, Montana, and veered off the runway. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Butte, about 15 minutes prior to the accident.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was practicing a short field approach with a high rate of descent. The pilot stated that he did not maintain sufficient airspeed to arrest the descent and the aircraft landed hard. The left main landing gear collapsed, and as the aircraft departed the side of the runway, the left wing collided with runway markers.