MIA96LA015

The flight was being conducted as part of the FAA wings program, with a second pilot as an observer. The observer stated that, while practicing landings, the pilot lowered the nose to an excessive angle on short final resulting in an excessive rate of descent. Before the descent rate could be stopped the aircraft landed hard and the right main gear strut failed.

On October 28, 1995, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Consolidated Aeronautics Lake LA-4-200, N6180V, registered to Water Wings, Inc., was damaged during a hard landing at Morganton-Lenoir Airport, Morganton, North Carolina, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage. The commercial-rated pilot and airline transport-rated observer pilot were not injured. The flight originated from Hickory, North Carolina, the same day about 0950.

The pilot stated the flight was being conducted as part of the FAA Wings Program. He was the pilot-in-command and the second pilot was observing him. After departing Hickory, they performed airwork and then proceeded to Morganton for landing practice. After the first landing the observer asked him to demonstrate a maximum performance short field takeoff and then a maximum performance short field landing over an imaginary 50 foot object. While on final approach they passed over the runway threshold at about 84 feet agl. He lowered the nose and reduced engine power. He felt a shear and the airspeed began to drop suddenly. He added full power and airspeed continued to drop to 62 mph. As they approached the runway rapidly he raised the nose to level and they hit the runway in a flat attitude. The right main landing gear strut failed on touchdown.

The observer pilot stated that on the first approach to land at Hickory the pilot turned on short base at 1,500 feet agl. The pilot immediately put the nose down to an excessive angle of attack. He commented to the pilot about this and the pilot raised the nose and made a normal landing. On the second approach they crossed the runway threshold at about 100 feet agl. The pilot again put the aircraft in an excessive angle of descent, which caught him by surprise. He grabbed the control wheel and pulled back but it was too late to avoid contact with the runway. The aircraft hit hard in a flat attitude.