What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft encountered low level windshear on approach, flipped over and crashed. (.4)the pilot initiated a landing at a private airstrip. A witness reported that during the landing, he observed the airplane float about 3/4 of the length of the 1,400 foot airstrip before touching down. The pilot then elected to abort the landing. During the initial climb, the airplane drifted to the right and impacted trees and the terrain. About 18 miles north, the 1254 EST wind was reported to be from 250 degrees at 10 knots. The direction of landing was to the north. (-23) on November 3, 1996, at 1200 EST a Maule mk 7-235, N56593, operated by thomas a faulkner, a properly certificated pilot, was destroyed while attempting to land during gusty wind conditions at a private airstrip at consolidated hunt club near Hubbard lake, alcona township, MI. The pilot sustained serious head injuries and the passenger, Mr. Gerald l. barefield suffered a broken left arm. The aircraft touched down over 2/3RDS of the way down on the useable runway and while attempting to make a go-around, gusty cross winds caused the aircraft to veer to the right striking a small stand of trees flipping the aircraft one complete turn & 180 degrees in the opposite direction.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR ON APPROACH, FLIPPED OVER AND CRASHED. (.4)THE PILOT INITIATED A LANDING AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT DURING THE LANDING, HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLOAT ABOUT 3/4 OF THE LENGTH OF THE 1,400 FOOT AIRSTRIP BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO ABORT THE LANDING. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED TREES AND THE TERRAIN. ABOUT 18 MILES NORTH, THE 1254 EST WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 250 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. THE DIRECTION OF LANDING WAS TO THE NORTH. (-23) ON NOVEMBER 3, 1996, AT 1200 EST A MAULE MK 7-235, N56593, OPERATED BY THOMAS A FAULKNER, A PROPERLY CERTIFICATED PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND DURING GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AT CONSOLIDATED HUNT CLUB NEAR HUBBARD LAKE, ALCONA TOWNSHIP, MI. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER, MR. GERALD L. BAREFIELD SUFFERED A BROKEN LEFT ARM. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN OVER 2/3RDS OF THE WAY DOWN ON THE USEABLE RUNWAY AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A GO-AROUND, GUSTY CROSS WINDS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE RIGHT STRIKING A SMALL STAND OF TREES FLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT ONE COMPLETE TURN & 180 DEGREES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.