Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath and his subsequent abrupt maneuver to avoid trees, which led to the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and resulted in an aerodynamic stall during landing and a subsequent loss of directional control.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that on short final, the airplane was too low, too slow, and right of the runway centerline, and that he overcorrected to clear trees located at the approach end of runway 12. Subsequently, the airplane stalled and touched down on the upsloping approach end of the runway. The right wing struck rising terrain in the safety area on the right side of the runway, and the airplane skidded across the grass safety area and came to rest on the parallel taxiway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the engine mounts.
The runway had rising terrain at both the approach and departure ends. The airport facility directory identifies that runway 12 had 20-foot tall trees that are 25 feet from the runway threshold and requires a 4:1 glide slope to remain clear.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA18CA507