On October 7, 2007, an Aviat A-1 (registration N9620Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Arroyo Grande, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's misjudged altitude and distance on the approach that led to an undershoot and inadequate obstacle clearance. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a landing in a private field, the main landing gear struck a wire fence, and the left wing hit a wooden post. Both landing gears collapsed, and the propeller struck the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical issues.
Incident Overview
A pilot was performing a landing in a field owned by an acquaintance. As the airplane neared touchdown, the main landing gear made contact with the top of a wire fence. Simultaneously, the left wing impacted a wooden fence post. After the airplane settled on the ground, both landing gears collapsed, and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane came to rest approximately 25 feet beyond the fence.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. The entire sequence was attributed to the inadvertent contact with the fence structures during the landing approach.
Aircraft Damage
Both main landing gears were collapsed, and the propeller sustained impact damage from striking the ground. The left wing also contacted the fence post, though the extent of wing damage is not specified in the source.