Amateur-built STOL CH 701 N861SD accident near Hayward, Wisconsin

Probable cause

The pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing during gusty wind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience with the accident airplane.

NTSB analysis

The pilot had purchased the airplane on the day of the accident. Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a wind check from an employee at a local fixed base operator. The employee informed the pilot the wind was from 320 degrees at 10 to 12 knots and gusting to 16 knots. After departure, the pilot "found the winds to be much worse and had a hard time controlling the 1,000 [pound] gross weight plane." After several attempts to land on the different runways at the airport, the pilot elected to land the airplane in a field short of runway 02 (5,003 feet long by 100 feet wide). During the approach, the pilot flared the airplane 15 to 20 feet above the ground and the airplane "just sank." The airplane landed hard and the left main landing gear separated. In addition, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot had no prior experience in the accident airplane make and model prior to this flight.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN09CA397 for the full record.