Amateur-built VANS RV-4 N54RV accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare in variable crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that after a local flight during an approach to land, he “rounded out too soon” in the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane entering an aerodynamic stall “a couple of feet above the runway.” The airplane subsequently touched down hard on the runway, the airplane skidded to a stop, and the pilot shut down the airplane and pushed it onto a taxiway. Photographs provided by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed substantial to the rear fuselage area and engine mount, in addition to a wrinkled firewall and damaged propeller.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 8 with wind reported near the accident time from 320° at 7 knots, variable from 290° to 350°.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21LA255 for the full record.