What happened
The pilot was conducting a local personal flight under visual flight rules (VFR). During the final approach phase, the pilot failed to maintain the proper airspeed while executing the flare. This error led to an aerodynamic stall, causing the airplane to slam into the ground. Following the initial impact, the aircraft bounced once before sliding off the runway.
The investigation
Post-accident examination revealed that the pilot had misjudged the altitude during the landing maneuver. The official report notes that surface winds were from the south/southeast at 5 knots, gusting to 7 knots, which did not significantly contribute to the stall dynamics compared to the airspeed management error.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the critical flare phase of landing. This resulted in a loss of lift and a subsequent stall at low altitude. The stall occurred because the aircraft descended too rapidly without sufficient forward momentum to arrest the descent rate safely.
Safety message
Pilots must ensure proper airspeed management during the landing flare to prevent stalls at low altitudes where recovery options are limited.