Amateur-built Wag Aero Sport N141ST accident near Oxford, Iowa

Probable cause

The pilot misjudged his approach path which resulted in insufficient altitude and the subsequent failure to maintain clearance with the trees. Contributing to the accident were the trees and the dusk lighting conditions.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the total runway length is 4,800 feet, the northern 1,400 feet of which is grass and the southern 2,400 feet is asphalt. He reported that he was practicing touch and go landings on the grass portion of the runway when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that he made three touch and go landings, and decided to make one more before it got too dark. He stated that the final approach descent path appeared to be above the low-lying trees. He stated that he did not realize he was too low until he felt a "sharp blow" to the airplane and the airplane rotated to the right descending to the ground. The pilot reported that he should have realized that "...landing as close to the trees as I intended was unsafe" when the runway lights came on while he was on final approach.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CHI08CA261 for the full record.