CHI04CA211

NTSB accident investigation · Stamsta Wittman Tailwind W10 · Waunakee, WI · August 1, 2004

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 31, 2004, 19:30 local (Aug 1, 2004, 00:30 UTC)
Place
Waunakee, WI
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N917WTStamsta Wittman Tailwind W10
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 28, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration - Milwaukee FSDO
FAA report
20040731028399A
Case key
59950

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during final approach, which resulted in the inadvertent stall/mush at a low altitude and subsequent hard landing. A factor to the accident was the pilot's unsuccessful remedial action to the encountered stall/mush at a low altitude.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Hard landingLanding
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
Remedial action - not successfulPilot in commandCause
Main gear collapsedLanding
Landing gear,main gear - collapsed

Analysis

The airplane stalled while on short final approach, which resulted in a hard landing. The pilot reported that when he turned onto final approach the airplane was positioned about 500 feet above ground level (agl) with an airspeed indication of 80 miles/hour. The pilot stated that he noticed the airplane was too high while he crossed-over the approach end of the runway and that the "airspeed was at stall [speed]." The pilot stated he responded by lowering the aircraft's nose and increasing engine power. The pilot reported the increase of engine power "did not respond until nearly on the runway." The pilot stated the airplane "landed hard" and the main landing gear collapsed.

Factual narrative

On July 31, 2004, at 1930 central daylight time, an amateur-built Stamsta Wittman Tailwind W10, N917WT, built and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged while attempting to land on runway 27 (2,223 feet by 30 feet, dry asphalt) at the Waunakee Airport (6P3), Waunakee, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed 6P3 at 1830.

The pilot reported that when he turned onto final approach the airplane was positioned about 500 feet above ground level (agl) with an airspeed indication of 80 miles/hour. The pilot stated that he noticed the airplane was too high while he crossed-over the approach end of the runway and that the "airspeed was at stall [speed]." The pilot stated he responded by lowering the aircraft's nose and increasing engine power. The pilot reported the increase of engine power "did not respond until nearly on the runway." The pilot stated the airplane "landed hard" and the main landing gear collapsed.

Aircraft

Registration
N917WT
Reported as
Stamsta Wittman Tailwind W10
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
00-1170
Airframe hours
200
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · July 24, 2004 · 13.5 hours before
Departed
6P3 · Waunakee, WI
Destination
6P3 · Waunakee, WI
Airport
6P3 · Waunakee Airport, runway 27, 2,223 × 30 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
42
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
September 20, 2003
Seat
Left
Flight hours
574 total · 201 in this make and model · 523 as pilot in command · 72 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
220° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
10,000 ft broken
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
29.95 inHg
Observed at
MSN, 6 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.