What happened
Upon arrival at the airport, the pilot observed that the windsock was limp. After attempting to contact Unicom without success, the pilot elected to land on Runway 30. During the landing roll, the aircraft touched down and flipped over.
Witnesses at the scene provided varying accounts of the impact. One witness reported that the aircraft appeared to touch the ground nose-first and subsequently fell apart. Another observer noted that prior to hitting the runway, the plane tilted slightly to the right and the nose began to rise; upon impact with the runway, the aircraft tilted further to the right, causing a wing to break off.
Following the accident, the pilot determined that the wind was from 060 degrees at 5 knots, while conditions approximately 23 miles south at Roanoke were calm. The pilot believed he had encountered unfavorable wind during the approach.
The investigation
An investigation of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft impacted the runway and then skidded off to the left side at an angle. Debris from the left wing remained on the runway surface. The aircraft traveled several hundred feet before coming to rest in an inverted position, 71 feet to the left of the runway.
Structural damage was significant: the left wing had separated near the wing root, and the right wing sustained extensive damage.