What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft struck a truck on approach to runway. (.4)during final approach the pilot slowed the airplane to avoid a red dump truck coming down the road. Following the first dump truck was a second grey and red dump truck. The left main gear tire of the airplane contacted the second dump truck. West of the airport there was a tree line and a cornfield near the road, where a lightly colored vehicle would be very difficult to see during final approach to the runway. The runway obstacle free zone was shorter than the recommended length. (-23) the pilot stated that while on final approach for runway 36 at 79C he saw a red dump truck which he estimated would clear his flight path over the underlying road. The pilot said that after the red truck cleared his approach path he reduced power for landing. He said after power reduction he felt the aircraft hit something and then the aircraft impacted the ground short of the displaced threshold of the runway. On scene investigation indicated the aircraft hig another dump truck which was following the red dump truck but could not be seen due to the tree line along the road and the dista nce behind the first truck. The aircraft was demolished. This investigation and report closed.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TRUCK ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY. (.4)DURING FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID A RED DUMP TRUCK COMING DOWN THE ROAD. FOLLOWING THE FIRST DUMP TRUCK WAS A SECOND GREY AND RED DUMP TRUCK. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR TIRE OF THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE SECOND DUMP TRUCK. WEST OF THE AIRPORT THERE WAS A TREE LINE AND A CORNFIELD NEAR THE ROAD, WHERE A LIGHTLY COLORED VEHICLE WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE DURING FINAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY OBSTACLE FREE ZONE WAS SHORTER THAN THE RECOMMENDED LENGTH. (-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 36 AT 79C HE SAW A RED DUMP TRUCK WHICH HE ESTIMATED WOULD CLEAR HIS FLIGHT PATH OVER THE UNDERLYING ROAD. THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER THE RED TRUCK CLEARED HIS APPROACH PATH HE REDUCED POWER FOR LANDING. HE SAID AFTER POWER REDUCTION HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT HIT SOMETHING AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND SHORT OF THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT HIG ANOTHER DUMP TRUCK WHICH WAS FOLLOWING THE RED DUMP TRUCK BUT COULD NOT BE SEEN DUE TO THE TREE LINE ALONG THE ROAD AND THE DISTA NCE BEHIND THE FIRST TRUCK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEMOLISHED. THIS INVESTIGATION AND REPORT CLOSED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.