What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 6, 2022 privacy data omitted, a wittman tailwind W10 was involved in a hard landing at Waldron, AR (M27) that resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.
privacy data omitted Departed Waldron, AR (M27) on a 35 minute phase 1 flight with the aircraft. This was the aircraft and airman's first flight. During the flight the sole airman occupant performed several maneuvers to include turns, slow flight and stalls to become familiar to operating the new aircraft in
Phase 1. The airman commented that the aircraft had substantial more performance and maneuverability then the previous tailwheel aircraft he has flown. During several practice stalls the airman noticed that the aircraft kept flying when in a stalled configuration with the power set to 1200 RPM and was still controllable in an idled stalled decent.
During the approach to landing, the airman stated that the practice stalls had “fooled” him into believing the aircraft had more performance and controllability then actuality. Due to this mindset the airman brought the aircraft into a max perforamce landing vs a normal landing for the aircraft's first landing. The first landing attepmt was aborted due to being high and fast.
During second landing attempt roundout, the aircraft stalled and dropped from about 6 to 10 feet above the runway and landed hard on runway 27. The aircraft bounced once before the right main gear collapsed causing the aircraft to nose over and flip inverted. The aircraft came to rest inverted on the left side of runway 27.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 6, 2022 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A WITTMAN TAILWIND W10 WAS INVOLVED IN A HARD LANDING AT WALDRON, AR (M27) THAT RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED WALDRON, AR (M27) ON A 35 MINUTE PHASE 1 FLIGHT WITH THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS THE AIRCRAFT AND AIRMAN'S FIRST FLIGHT. DURING THE FLIGHT THE SOLE AIRMAN OCCUPANT PERFORMED SEVERAL MANEUVERS TO INCLUDE TURNS, SLOW FLIGHT AND STALLS TO BECOME FAMILIAR TO OPERATING THE NEW AIRCRAFT IN
PHASE 1. THE AIRMAN COMMENTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUBSTANTIAL MORE PERFORMANCE AND MANEUVERABILITY THEN THE PREVIOUS TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT HE HAS FLOWN. DURING SEVERAL PRACTICE STALLS THE AIRMAN NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT KEPT FLYING WHEN IN A STALLED CONFIGURATION WITH THE POWER SET TO 1200 RPM AND WAS STILL CONTROLLABLE IN AN IDLED STALLED DECENT.
DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING, THE AIRMAN STATED THAT THE PRACTICE STALLS HAD “FOOLED” HIM INTO BELIEVING THE AIRCRAFT HAD MORE PERFORMANCE AND CONTROLLABILITY THEN ACTUALITY. DUE TO THIS MINDSET THE AIRMAN BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT INTO A MAX PERFORAMCE LANDING VS A NORMAL LANDING FOR THE AIRCRAFT'S FIRST LANDING. THE FIRST LANDING ATTEPMT WAS ABORTED DUE TO BEING HIGH AND FAST.
DURING SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT ROUNDOUT, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND DROPPED FROM ABOUT 6 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND LANDED HARD ON RUNWAY 27. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ONCE BEFORE THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE OVER AND FLIP INVERTED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 27.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.