What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and companion aircraft noticed a storm front approaching from the west. Initially heading for reedsburg, WI (C35)to land before storm reached them, they decided they could not make the airport before the storm hit so turned south to land at sauk prairie (91C). While heading south they noticed the Baraboo Wi Dells ap (dll) and decided to land. Companion aircraft landed without incident. Pilot Reed in N421KF radioed companion that he was too high on approach and was going to do a go around. While making a turn to base for runway 32, witnesses noticed the aircraft wobbling 5 - 6 times at about 50 feet altitude, then leveled wings and then dropped at a very steep angle to the ground. Witnesses stated there were very strong and gusty winds at the time that was even rocking the vehicles they were in but visiability was unlimited. Weather data indicates there were wind gusts up to 30 mph at the time. Aircraft inpacted the ground inverted with the nose pointed north and the aircraft tail bent forward over towards the cockpit like a scorpion. Fire dept. Personnel and witnesses on scene flipped the aircraft over to provide access to the pilot. Pilot spoke to rescuers identifying himself and where he lived, but did ask what happened. He was still wearing his harness. Pilot was transfer to the hospital and at the time of this report submittal is on a ventilator and list in critical condition at madison university hospital.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND COMPANION AIRCRAFT NOTICED A STORM FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. INITIALLY HEADING FOR REEDSBURG, WI (C35)TO LAND BEFORE STORM REACHED THEM, THEY DECIDED THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT BEFORE THE STORM HIT SO TURNED SOUTH TO LAND AT SAUK PRAIRIE (91C). WHILE HEADING SOUTH THEY NOTICED THE BARABOO WI DELLS AP (DLL) AND DECIDED TO LAND. COMPANION AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. PILOT REED IN N421KF RADIOED COMPANION THAT HE WAS TOO HIGH ON APPROACH AND WAS GOING TO DO A GO AROUND. WHILE MAKING A TURN TO BASE FOR RUNWAY 32, WITNESSES NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT WOBBLING 5 - 6 TIMES AT ABOUT 50 FEET ALTITUDE, THEN LEVELED WINGS AND THEN DROPPED AT A VERY STEEP ANGLE TO THE GROUND. WITNESSES STATED THERE WERE VERY STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS AT THE TIME THAT WAS EVEN ROCKING THE VEHICLES THEY WERE IN BUT VISIABILITY WAS UNLIMITED. WEATHER DATA INDICATES THERE WERE WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH AT THE TIME.AIRCRAFT INPACTED THE GROUND INVERTED WITH THE NOSE POINTED NORTH AND THE AIRCRAFT TAIL BENT FORWARD OVER TOWARDS THE COCKPIT LIKE A SCORPION. FIRE DEPT. PERSONNEL AND WITNESSES ON SCENE FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT OVER TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE PILOT. PILOT SPOKE TO RESCUERS IDENTIFYING HIMSELF AND WHERE HE LIVED, BUT DID ASK WHAT HAPPENED. HE WAS STILL WEARING HIS HARNESS. PILOT WAS TRANSFER TO THE HOSPITAL AND AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT SUBMITTAL IS ON A VENTILATOR AND LIST IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT MADISON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.