Beech V35 N15VM accident near Saluda, South Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during an aborted landing, which resulted in a runway excursion, collision with a fence, and a hard landing .

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that after arrival to the destination airport he overflew it and entered a left downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern for landing. He configured the airplane for landing then turned onto the base and final legs of the airport traffic pattern where he lowered full flaps maintaining a crosswind correction of right wing low and left rudder input. On short final he reduced power to idle and flared either too little or too late, after which the airplane bounced. With the airplane in a slight nose-up attitude, he believed he added power too quickly but did not recall adding right rudder input. The airplane violently and abruptly turned left, after which he was partially able to recover but not before flying away from the runway and impacting a chain link fence. The airplane then landed hard in an open area on the airport resulting substantial damage to both wings and the bottom of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded a normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA26LA154 for the full record.