What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 31, 2004, at 2030, local time, I was notified that a wittman Tailwind, N917WT (an experimental aircraft) had crashed while attempting to land at the Waunakee (6P3) airport in Wisconsin, runway 27. The Waunakee police department documented the site and the wreckage was then allowed to be moved to a hangar. I responded on scene August 1, 2004 at 0900. The pilot stated that he was high on final and attempted to correct the problem with a power reduction to lose some altitude. However, while doing that, the aircraft began to develop a high sink rate, and when the pilot added power to correct the situation, the aircraft did not develop thrust soon enough to arrest the sink rate. The aircraft impacted the ground on the main landing gear and bounced. On the second impact with the ground the landing gear departed from the aircraft. The engine and chin cowl impacted the ground and then separated from the aircraft and the wreckage skidded to a stop. It might be noted that the crash was left of the paved runway in the grass. It is common practice that pilots land on the grass at this airport because the paved runway is rough. The aircraft was destroyed. An inspector examined thewreckage and was unable to find a mechanical cause for the accident. One consideration. The pilot was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 31, 2004, AT 2030, LOCAL TIME, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT A WITTMAN TAILWIND, N917WT (AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT) HAD CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT THE WAUNAKEE (6P3) AIRPORT IN WISCONSIN, RUNWAY 27. THE WAUNAKEE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTED THE SITE AND THE WRECKAGE WAS THEN ALLOWED TO BE MOVED TO A HANGAR. I RESPONDED ON SCENE AUGUST 1, 2004 AT 0900. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS HIGH ON FINAL AND ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH A POWER REDUCTION TO LOSE SOME ALTITUDE. HOWEVER, WHILE DOING THAT, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DEVELOP A HIGH SINK RATE, AND WHEN THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT DEVELOP THRUST SOON ENOUGH TO ARREST THE SINK RATE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND BOUNCED. ON THE SECOND IMPACT WITH THE GROUND THE LANDING GEAR DEPARTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE AND CHIN COWL IMPACTED THE GROUND AND THEN SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE WRECKAGE SKIDDED TO A STOP. IT MIGHT BE NOTED THAT THE CRASH WAS LEFT OF THE PAVED RUNWAY IN THE GRASS. IT IS COMMON PRACTICE THAT PILOTS LAND ON THE GRASS AT THIS AIRPORT BECAUSE THE PAVED RUNWAY IS ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. AN INSPECTOR EXAMINED THEWRECKAGE AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND A MECHANICAL CAUSE FOR THE ACCIDENT. ONE CONSIDERATION. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.