Stamsta WITTMAN TAILWIND W10 N917WT

Summary

On 1 August 2004 at about 00:30 local time, a Stamsta WITTMAN TAILWIND W10 registered N917WT was involved in an accident near Waunakee, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 2004 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Waunakee, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Waunakee Airport (6P3)

Coordinates

43.1786, -89.4514

Aircraft

Stamsta WITTMAN TAILWIND W10

Registration

N917WT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Waunakee → Waunakee

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI04CA211

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during final approach, which resulted in the inadvertent stall/mush at a low altitude and subsequent hard landing. A factor to the accident was the pilot's unsuccessful remedial action to the encountered stall/mush at a low altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane stalled while on short final approach, which resulted in a hard landing. The pilot reported that when he turned onto final approach the airplane was positioned about 500 feet above ground level (agl) with an airspeed indication of 80 miles/hour. The pilot stated that he noticed the airplane was too high while he crossed-over the approach end of the runway and that the "airspeed was at stall [speed]." The pilot stated he responded by lowering the aircraft's nose and increasing engine power. The pilot reported the increase of engine power "did not respond until nearly on the runway." The pilot stated the airplane "landed hard" and the main landing gear collapsed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.