The Accident
During a landing approach to a turf runway, the pilot of an airplane stated that he caught a downdraft on short final. Despite applying full power, he was unable to arrest the descent rate before impact. The pilot later reported that the airplane had no mechanical malfunctions.
Witness Accounts
A witness at the airport reported that the wind at the time of the accident was 8 to 10 knots. However, the nearest weather reporting station indicated winds from 360 degrees true at 6 knots. Another witness told investigators that the pilot of the accident airplane would typically approach at a slow speed for landing.
Video Evidence
A video recording made at the airport on the day of the accident showed little or no wind present during the event. The airplane appeared to approach the runway at a slower airspeed than similar airplanes. On short final, the video revealed a high sink rate and a rapid roll to the right just before impact with the turf runway. No increase in engine power was audible until just before ground contact.
Aircraft Examination
An examination by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector found that the airplane had incurred substantial structural damage to the landing gear assembly bulkhead as a result of the accident.