What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot indicated that on Sunday November 8, 2020 that he had checked the weather for klci airport from internet web site for Monday nov 9 ,for his departure time around 2:30PM eastern standard time. The pilot indicated weather was clear with light winds in route and the destination light winds at 3 miles per hour from the west. Pilot arrived at the airport the next day at lawrence municipal airport (klwm) and completed his preflight, checked the airport information from the airnav website and checked for trf?s. he then proceeded to the destination VFR; airport was around 53 miles on a north heading, his enroute altitude was 2800 MSL and around 23 minutes to get there. Pilot indicated it was the perfect flight, unlimited visibility and very smooth with just a few bumps when they approached some elevation. About 10 miles south of the airport pilot announced his positions and indicated he would be landing on runway 26. As he approached the airport, he maneuvered the aircraft about five miles east of the airport. He recalled there were couple of aircraft in the traffic pattern and another one about 10 miles out from the north, he dropped to traffic pattern of 1500 feet and entered wide 3 miles on northwest heading to position himself so he can go around and joined left downwind for runway 26. He cross the end of runway 26 at 1500 feet and made a position report that he was entering left downwind for 26 and everything looked good. He completed his final checked list and dropped the geared and put 15 degrees of flaps. On left base, he dropped another in 10 notch of flaps. Everything looked good he announced- pilot statement-?l was on base as soon as I turned final the airport looked like it was in a haze?. I realized it was the sun I said to my son privacy data omitted I cannot see I don?t think it took 5 seconds I see tree branches at my left wing I had no time to react it was over?. Pilot vision was hindered by sunlight / haze. It was reported by other pilots landing around the same time, that they had difficulty-landing do to the sun?s position.
Pilot and passenger suffered minor cuts and bruises.
Aircraft ended up in almost vertical position in the trees at the end of runway 26.left and right wing, forward fuselage received substantial damage. Engine firewall pushed in and upward. Both fuel tanks contained fuel. End
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT INDICATED THAT ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2020 THAT HE HAD CHECKED THE WEATHER FOR KLCI AIRPORT FROM INTERNET WEB SITE FOR MONDAY NOV 9 ,FOR HIS DEPARTURE TIME AROUND 2:30PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME. THE PILOT INDICATED WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH LIGHT WINDS IN ROUTE AND THE DESTINATION LIGHT WINDS AT 3 MILES PER HOUR FROM THE WEST. PILOT ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT THE NEXT DAY AT LAWRENCE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KLWM) AND COMPLETED HIS PREFLIGHT, CHECKED THE AIRPORT INFORMATION FROM THE AIRNAV WEBSITE AND CHECKED FOR TRF?S. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO THE DESTINATION VFR; AIRPORT WAS AROUND 53 MILES ON A NORTH HEADING, HIS ENROUTE ALTITUDE WAS 2800 MSL AND AROUND 23 MINUTES TO GET THERE. PILOT INDICATED IT WAS THE PERFECT FLIGHT, UNLIMITED VISIBILITY AND VERY SMOOTH WITH JUST A FEW BUMPS WHEN THEY APPROACHED SOME ELEVATION. ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT PILOT ANNOUNCED HIS POSITIONS AND INDICATED HE WOULD BE LANDING ON RUNWAY 26. AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT, HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT FIVE MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT. HE RECALLED THERE WERE COUPLE OF AIRCRAFT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND ANOTHER ONE ABOUT 10 MILES OUT FROM THE NORTH, HE DROPPED TO TRAFFIC PATTERN OF 1500 FEET AND ENTERED WIDE 3 MILES ON NORTHWEST HEADING TO POSITION HIMSELF SO HE CAN GO AROUND AND JOINED LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 26. HE CROSS THE END OF RUNWAY 26 AT 1500 FEET AND MADE A POSITION REPORT THAT HE WAS ENTERING LEFT DOWNWIND FOR 26 AND EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD. HE COMPLETED HIS FINAL CHECKED LIST AND DROPPED THE GEARED AND PUT 15 DEGREES OF FLAPS. ON LEFT BASE, HE DROPPED ANOTHER IN 10 NOTCH OF FLAPS. EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD HE ANNOUNCED- PILOT STATEMENT-?L WAS ON BASE AS SOON AS I TURNED FINAL THE AIRPORT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS IN A HAZE?. I REALIZED IT WAS THE SUN I SAID TO MY SON ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ I CANNOT SEE I DON?T THINK IT TOOK 5 SECONDS I SEE TREE BRANCHES AT MY LEFT WING I HAD NO TIME TO REACT IT WAS OVER?. PILOT VISION WAS HINDERED BY SUNLIGHT / HAZE. IT WAS REPORTED BY OTHER PILOTS LANDING AROUND THE SAME TIME, THAT THEY HAD DIFFICULTY-LANDING DO TO THE SUN?S POSITION.
PILOT AND PASSENGER SUFFERED MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES.
AIRCRAFT ENDED UP IN ALMOST VERTICAL POSITION IN THE TREES AT THE END OF RUNWAY 26.LEFT AND RIGHT WING, FORWARD FUSELAGE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ENGINE FIREWALL PUSHED IN AND UPWARD. BOTH FUEL TANKS CONTAINED FUEL. END
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.