Accident Overview
During an ash spreading ceremony, a pilot planned a low pass over the runway. As the airplane descended to approximately 50 feet above ground level at 70 knots, the bag containing the ashes began to break. The pilot reported momentarily letting go of the flight controls, leading to an unintended descent. The airplane impacted the runway, bounced back into the air, and subsequently touched down again. On the second touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and skidded to a stop.
Flight Details
The pilot stated that the flight was conducted as part of an ash spreading ceremony. The low pass was intended to be performed over the runway. At the critical moment when the bag started to break, the pilot released the controls only briefly. This resulted in the airplane descending and contacting the runway. After the bounce, the pilot regained control and executed a straight-ahead landing. The collapse of the left main landing gear occurred upon the final touchdown, causing the airplane to depart the runway surface.
Postaccident Findings
A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The investigation did not identify any additional contributing factors beyond the pilot's momentary distraction.