- 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.
On this page
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.
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.