Incident Overview
A pilot received a briefing from flight service before departing for McCall. During the briefing, he was informed that the main runway at McCall was closed due to construction activities, but that aircraft could land on the parallel taxiway during daylight hours. The pilot subsequently departed and arrived at McCall as dusk was falling. He assessed that he could still see the runway environment clearly enough to conduct the landing. He therefore decided to make his approach to runway 34 and then sidestep to align with the taxiway for the actual touchdown.
Approach and Sidestep
The approach to runway 34 and the subsequent sidestep maneuver to align with the taxiway were performed without incident. The pilot reported that these phases of the flight were uneventful.
Landing and Loss of Control
As the pilot began the flare for landing on the taxiway, he allowed the airspeed to decrease excessively. This led to the aircraft descending onto the taxiway surface at a rate that was too high, resulting in a hard bounced landing. When the aircraft touched down a second time, it was not aligned with the taxiway centerline. The pilot attempted to regain directional control, but the aircraft departed the taxiway and struck a ditch that was adjacent to the taxiway.
Fire and Destruction
A small fire started during the accident sequence. The pilot had no means to extinguish the fire, and it spread, eventually consuming almost the entire aircraft structure.
Pilot Statement
According to the pilot, there were no indications of any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that contributed to the accident. The pilot did not report any issues with the aircraft prior to the landing attempt.