Accident Overview
On May 11, 2018, at 0827 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Whittman RV6 airplane, registration N833DW, impacted terrain during an aborted landing on runway 21 at Hutchinson County Airport (BGD) in Borger, Texas. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant and operator, sustained serious injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Sequence of Events
The flight departed H A Clark Memorial Field Airport in Williams, Arizona, at 0830 mountain standard time, destined for BGD. The pilot reported that the automated surface observing system (ASOS) at BGD indicated variable winds of 4-6 knots, less than forecast. During a visual approach to runway 21 (3,897 feet by 100 feet, dry asphalt), the pilot flew an upwind pattern entry and encountered "strong updrafts from unusual landforms" on short final. He landed the tailwheel-equipped airplane near the intersection of runway 17/35, approximately 1,650 feet down runway 21, and then experienced "strong wind gusts causing swerving." As conditions deteriorated, the pilot aborted the landing by applying full engine power while the airplane was departing the runway at about a 20° angle to the right. The airplane climbed over rising terrain off the side of the runway, but the landing gear dragged through heavy brush and weeds, reducing acceleration. The pilot attempted to fly under approaching powerlines due to insufficient airspeed for a climb, but the airplane impacted the ground and a chain link fence.
Additional Information
The airport facility directory indicated three windsocks at BGD, located between the approach ends of runways 17 and 35, and between runways 3 and 35. ASOS recorded winds from 220° at 17 knots gusting to 26 knots at 0751 CDT, and 220° at 14 knots gusting to 23 knots at 0851 CDT. The calculated crosswind component for runway 21 was 2 knots at 14 knots wind and 6 knots at 32 knots wind. The experimental RV6 had no published maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity. A flight instructor familiar with RV-6 airplanes stated that a comfortable crosswind for an average pilot would be about 15 knots, while a skilled pilot could land in 20-25 knots. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported no witnesses; the UNICOM operator was unaware of the landing as the pilot made no radio calls. Post-accident examination revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation; wing flaps were fully extended at 40°.
The Airplane Flying Handbook notes that over 45% of general aviation accidents occur during approach and landing, with over 90% pilot-related and loss of control contributing to 33% of those cases.