What happened
During an approach to runway 8 at Central Wisconsin Airport, the pilot of the aircraft experienced a deviation from the intended flight path, finding the plane both high and to the right of the centerline. As the aircraft descended through a cloud layer at approximately 1,000 feet above ground level, the pilot attempted to correct the altitude by reducing power and increasing the rate of descent.
In an effort to stabilize the descent and maintain airspeed, the pilot applied additional power; however, the engines failed to spool up quickly enough to compensate. This resulted in a hard landing that caused substantial damage to the airframe. While taxiing back to the gate, the pilot noted that the right wing appeared to be sitting lower than the left, initially suspecting a tire failure. Upon shutting down the engines and exiting the cockpit, it was discovered that the propeller had struck the ground by approximately one inch and the engine nacelle had dropped several inches.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in weather conditions characterized by light snow, an overcast ceiling of 300 feet, and visibility of 4 statute miles.
- The pilot reported no prior mechanical malfunctions during the flight.
- The primary factor in the landing incident was the delayed engine response during the pilot's attempt to correct the approach profile.