What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 4, 1997, at 1400 hours pacific daylight time, an experimental (amateur built) bingelis antoni falco f.8L, N84TX, was substantially damaged when it landed short of runway 20 at the Watsonville, California, airport. The certificated airline transport pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorolical conditions prevailed for the personal flight. According to the pilot, while on a stabilized final approach, indicated airspeed 80 the aircraft settled directly to the ground. He reported that the aircraft went flat down as though slammed in a subsiding air mass in a matter of seconds. He reported that the wind was light and variable and that the application of engine power did not arrest the descent. At salinas, California, 19 miles southeast, the surfacce wind was from 310 degress at 12 knots and there was no convective weather in the area.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1997, AT 1400 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL (AMATEUR BUILT) BINGELIS ANTONI FALCO F.8L, N84TX, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT LANDED SHORT OF RUNWAY 20 AT THE WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE ON A STABILIZED FINAL APPROACH, INDICATED AIRSPEED 80 THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED DIRECTLY TO THE GROUND. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WENT FLAT DOWN AS THOUGH SLAMMED IN A SUBSIDING AIR MASS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. HE REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE AND THAT THE APPLICATION OF ENGINE POWER DID NOT ARREST THE DESCENT. AT SALINAS, CALIFORNIA, 19 MILES SOUTHEAST, THE SURFACCE WIND WAS FROM 310 DEGRESS AT 12 KNOTS AND THERE WAS NO CONVECTIVE WEATHER IN THE AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.