What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 20, 2024, at 1300 MDT, an experimental bear hawk, contacted runway 08 during its approach to landing at Sacaton Airport (NM16). The private pilot, the only occupant on board, was uninjured. The aircraft suffered substantial damage to the landing gear, lower fuselege and left wingtip. The personal flight originated at sandia airpark, NM (1N1) in VFR conditions on April 20, 2024, at approximately 1100 MDT. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot stated that he arrived at NM16 airport approximately 1300 MDT. He made a low pass over the runway 08 to check the conditions and the runway was clear. He determined that the conditions were good. He stated that about 10 feet above the ground a sudden strong wind hit and the aircraft's nose came abruptly up. He added full power but the airplane hit the ground too soon to execute a go-around. The airplane came to rest in a short distance and remained on the runway. The main gear collapsed, the left wing struck the ground, undetermined damage to the belly of the aircraft and a propeller strike. He exited the aircraft with no injuries. The aircraft was removed from the runway and tied down.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 20, 2024, AT 1300 MDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL BEAR HAWK, CONTACTED RUNWAY 08 DURING ITS APPROACH TO LANDING AT SACATON AIRPORT (NM16). THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE ONLY OCCUPANT ON BOARD, WAS UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, LOWER FUSELEGE AND LEFT WINGTIP. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT SANDIA AIRPARK, NM (1N1) IN VFR CONDITIONS ON APRIL 20, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 MDT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ARRIVED AT NM16 AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 1300 MDT. HE MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY 08 TO CHECK THE CONDITIONS AND THE RUNWAY WAS CLEAR. HE DETERMINED THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE GOOD. HE STATED THAT ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND A SUDDEN STRONG WIND HIT AND THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE CAME ABRUPTLY UP. HE ADDED FULL POWER BUT THE AIRPLANE HIT THE GROUND TOO SOON TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A SHORT DISTANCE AND REMAINED ON THE RUNWAY. THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, UNDETERMINED DAMAGE TO THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT AND A PROPELLER STRIKE. HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY AND TIED DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N1685 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.