DFW05CA042

The 13,000-hour commercial pilot reported that during his landing flare onto an uphill-sloped grass landing strip, he felt that the airplane was lower than it actually was. The airplane impacted the ground "hard," and the nose gear dug into the "soft ground." The propeller then struck the ground, and the propeller blades "flew off" as the airplane nosed-over and came to rest inverted.

On December 17, 2004, approximately 1205 central standard time, a Ohlemeier-Stratton RV-7A home-built single-engine airplane, N207TP, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Cedar Mills Airport (3T0), near Gordonville, Texas. The commercial pilot and his pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight that originated from the Hidden Valley Airpark (5TXO), near Lake Dallas, Texas, approximately 1130.

In a written statement, the 13,000-hour commercial pilot reported that during his approach to 3TO, the wind was from the west, so he overflew the field and turned on a left downwind for runway 25, a 3,000 feet-long by 60 feet-wide grass landing strip. This was the pilot's first time at the airport, and he noted on approach that runway 25 was uphill with trees on each side. The pilot reported that he flew a "normal approach," but when he flared, he felt that the airplane was lower than it actually was. The airplane impacted the ground "hard," and the nose gear dug into the "soft ground." The propeller then struck the ground, and the propeller blades "flew off" as the airplane nosed-over and came to rest inverted.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the accident site, there was structural damage to the vertical stabilizer and both wing tips, and the engine was detached from the engine mounts.

At 1153, the automated weather observing system at Grayson County Airport (GYI), near Sherman, Texas, located approximately 10 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, reported wind from 270 degrees at 4 knots, a clear sky, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 55 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 36 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.37 inches of Mercury.