What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On September 17, 2004, N986AC was doing touch and go patterns at Kill Devil hills, NC (ffa). On the 9th approach to runway 20, the pilot experienced a "a sinking feeling." Automated weather at the time of the accident reported winds of 150 at 9 gusting to 15 knots with wind direction varying from 131 to 201. The aircraft struck the ground approximately 200 yards short of the runway. The nose gear immediately separated from the aircraft and the aircraft slid approximately 50 feet into a ditch and came to rest in an inverted altitude on the FAR side of the ditch. The pilot suffered a broken hip as well as numerous lacerations to the extremities and head. The pilot was airlifted to norfolk and is expected to make a full recovery. No mechanical irregularities or defects were found and the pilot reported no malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2004, N986AC WAS DOING TOUCH AND GO PATTERNS AT KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC (FFA). ON THE 9TH APPROACH TO RUNWAY 20, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A "A SINKING FEELING." AUTOMATED WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED WINDS OF 150 AT 9 GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS WITH WIND DIRECTION VARYING FROM 131 TO 201. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE GEAR IMMEDIATELY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET INTO A DITCH AND CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED ALTITUDE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE DITCH. THE PILOT SUFFERED A BROKEN HIP AS WELL AS NUMEROUS LACERATIONS TO THE EXTREMITIES AND HEAD. THE PILOT WAS AIRLIFTED TO NORFOLK AND IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY. NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES OR DEFECTS WERE FOUND AND THE PILOT REPORTED NO MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.