What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot landed short of the runway. The landing gear was in the retracted position during landing. Propeller was in extended position it was not in stowed position. Initially reported pilot received minor injuries. The motor/glider sustained sustantial damage to both wings, fuselage, canopy and horizontal stabilizer. PIC statement submitted on 11/23/2012. He could not find adequate lift under clouds, therefore he elected to return to the airport. He attempted to restart engine but would not start. There was no lift as he approached the airport. He put the landing gear down. On a downwind he noticed some turbulence in a quartering tailwind with sinking air. Almost immediately the left wing stalled. At approximately 50 feet above the ground. To control impact he initiated a full left aileron to put the left wing tip into ground. His statement addresses the max cross wind component on the ash 25MI as, 8 KTS.in summary; the PIC had no lift upon taking off and upon returning to the airport, he did not have adequate lift for a safe landing. The engine not starting was not a contributor to this accident. A lack of adequate life was the major factor.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE LANDING GEAR WAS IN THE RETRACTED POSITION DURING LANDING. PROPELLER WAS IN EXTENDED POSITION IT WAS NOT IN STOWED POSITION. INITIALLY REPORTED PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE MOTOR/GLIDER SUSTAINED SUSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, FUSELAGE, CANOPY AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. PIC STATEMENT SUBMITTED ON 11/23/2012. HE COULD NOT FIND ADEQUATE LIFT UNDER CLOUDS, THEREFORE HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART ENGINE BUT WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS NO LIFT AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT. HE PUT THE LANDING GEAR DOWN. ON A DOWNWIND HE NOTICED SOME TURBULENCE IN A QUARTERING TAILWIND WITH SINKING AIR. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE LEFT WING STALLED. AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. TO CONTROL IMPACT HE INITIATED A FULL LEFT AILERON TO PUT THE LEFT WING TIP INTO GROUND. HIS STATEMENT ADDRESSES THE MAX CROSS WIND COMPONENT ON THE ASH 25MI AS, 8 KTS.IN SUMMARY; THE PIC HAD NO LIFT UPON TAKING OFF AND UPON RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT, HE DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE LIFT FOR A SAFE LANDING. THE ENGINE NOT STARTING WAS NOT A CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. A LACK OF ADEQUATE LIFE WAS THE MAJOR FACTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.