HATFIELD, MA, USA
N669CP
SCHLAPPI RV3
THE PILOT WAS ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 29 WHEN HE LANDED ABOUT 35 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DIRT BANK. THE PILOT REPORTED THE APPROACH WAS ROUTINE UNTIL SHORT FINAL, WHEN THE AIRPORT AND TREES 'STARTED TO' BOIL UNDER ME AND I ADDED POWER TO 'MAINTAIN ALTITUDE BUT THE (DIRT BANK) CAME UP...' THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
On Friday, October 15, 1993, at about 1400 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt, Schlappi, RV3, N669CP, piloted by Mr. Dale Schlappi, collided with the terrain while landing at Hatfield/Pilgrim Airport, Hatfield, Massachusetts. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91. The pilot was performing an approach to land on runway 29, undershot the runway, struck a dirt embankment approximately 35 feet from the approach end of the runway. According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2: ...after entering [the] final leg about one mile from 29's threshold I lowered to 40 degrees flap and moved prop to low pitch. This was the landing configuration and most of the final leg was routine until short final. The field [airport] and trees started to boil under me and I added power to maintain altitude but the bank [embankment] of the road came up and the next thing that I remember I was being taken out of the airplane that was resting on the road just short of runway 29. FAA Inspector, William Wicks, examined the wreckage, and found no discrepancies. Mr. Wicks said the pilot reported he had encountered wind shear, but Mr. Wicks could not find any weather reports indicating wind shear in the area.
The pilot misjudged his distance and altitude which resulted in an undershoot of the runway. A factor was his delay in intiating a go around.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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