What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Departed with towbar attached. ATC advised but flew to airport. Landed hard left main nose hit foled both and wing. (-23) the pilot took off from dab with the tow bar still connected to the nose wheel. Dab tower informed PIC that it was still connected to the aircraft after N598W became airborne. PIC dupont elected to land at 34-J (several miles south of dab). He was more familiar with the airfield and the traffic volume is lower. While landing - he hit the left wing first followed by the left gear. He sheared off the left gear as well as the nose wheel. The aircraft suffered a substantial sideload and the fuselage was buckled on both sides - prop bent, several dents on leading edge of both wings and flight control surfaces.
As the FAA filed it
DEPARTED WITH TOWBAR ATTACHED. ATC ADVISED BUT FLEW TO AIRPORT. LANDED HARD LEFT MAIN NOSE HIT FOLED BOTH AND WING. (-23) THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM DAB WITH THE TOW BAR STILL CONNECTED TO THE NOSE WHEEL. DAB TOWER INFORMED PIC THAT IT WAS STILL CONNECTED TO THE AIRCRAFT AFTER N598W BECAME AIRBORNE. PIC DUPONT ELECTED TO LAND AT 34-J (SEVERAL MILES SOUTH OF DAB). HE WAS MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRFIELD AND THE TRAFFIC VOLUME IS LOWER. WHILE LANDING - HE HIT THE LEFT WING FIRST FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT GEAR. HE SHEARED OFF THE LEFT GEAR AS WELL AS THE NOSE WHEEL. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A SUBSTANTIAL SIDELOAD AND THE FUSELAGE WAS BUCKLED ON BOTH SIDES - PROP BENT, SEVERAL DENTS ON LEADING EDGE OF BOTH WINGS AND FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N59BW · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.