Piper PA 18-150 N91106 accident near Monte Vista, Colorado

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angleofattack during a go-around following impact with a barley crop, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to conduct a shallow approach with the airplane facing directly into the setting sun, which resulted in sun glare.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot was conducting a personal flight and attempting to land the airplane. He reported that, due to equipment obstructing the 2,600-ft-long dirt runway at midfield, he conducted a shallow approach to land on the eastern half of the shortened runway with the airplane pointed west almost directly into the setting sun, which resulted in sun glare. When the airplane was about 100 ft east of the end of the runway, the main landing gear impacted a 2-ft-tall barley crop, which slowed the airplane. The pilot initiated a go-around, but he did not attain sufficient speed to maintain flight and exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack. The airplane subsequently stalled, impacted terrain on the edge of the runway, and then came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the vertical tail surfaces. The pilot was not injured and exited the airplane without assistance. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical deficiencies with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN14LA361 for the full record.