Accident Details
A Piper PA-28-235 was on final approach to land on a 1,640-foot-long, 50-foot-wide turf runway at a private airport. The pilot reported encountering a downdraft, which caused the airplane to settle into a cornfield approximately 30 feet prior to the runway threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and both wings.
Pilot Information
The pilot had 370 hours of total flight experience, including 32 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Weather Conditions
According to the pilot, the wind at the time of the accident was from 260 degrees at 1 knot with no gusts.
Aircraft Damage
Substantial damage was reported to the firewall, fuselage, and both wings. No other damage items were specified in the source.