Accident Overview
A pilot and passenger were on a cross-country flight intending to land at an airport bordering the Chesapeake Bay. The runway approach path extends into the bay, and the runway is approximately 133 feet from the water. During the approach, the pilot encountered gusts and turbulence throughout the entire descent.
Approach and Landing
The pilot reported a normal approach while crossing the bay. After crossing over land, he began to flare the airplane. The aircraft suddenly dropped, and the pilot touched down approximately 20 feet short of the runway at an indicated airspeed of 75 knots. The airplane struck a runway light upon ground impact and became airborne again. The pilot attempted to abort the landing by applying full throttle and setting the flaps to 20 degrees. However, the airplane settled back to the ground, shearing off the landing gear and coming to rest in the safety area north of the runway.
Aftermath
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal operation.
Meteorological Conditions
The reported wind at the arrival airport was from 070 degrees at 8 knots. The runway heading was 11.