Incident Overview
On August 19, 2012, at approximately 1750 Eastern Daylight Time, an experimental amateur-built Kolb Aircraft Company Mark 3 airplane, registration N520SK, struck a tree and terrain while landing on a private airstrip near Onondaga, Michigan. The aircraft was operated by the noncertificated pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual flight rules conditions were in effect, and no flight plan was filed.
Aircraft and Pilot
The airplane, owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage to its wing and fuselage. The pilot was the sole occupant and reported no injuries. The flight originated from a private airstrip near Eaton Rapids, Michigan, at about 1735 EDT.
Pilot's Account
According to the pilot's accident report, upon arriving at the destination airstrip, he determined that the strip was too short for the speed of the landing. The airplane subsequently went off the end of the runway and impacted a stump. The pilot stated that there were no malfunctions with the airplane during the flight.
Weather Conditions
At 1756, the recorded wind at Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field, near Jackson, Michigan, was from 250 degrees at 5 knots.