REIDSVILLE, NC, USA
N517L
PITTS S-1
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A DOWNWIND APPROACH WAS MADE TO THE AIRSTRIP . TREES BOUNDED THE APPROACH THRESHOLD ON THREE SIDES. ON SHORT FINAL THE WIND ACROSS THE TREES, A QUARTERING TAIL WIND, RESULTED IN A DOWNDRAFT. THE AIRPLANE UNDERSHOT THE RUNWAY & STRUCK ONE OF THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS, AS IT LANDED HARD. A BALKED LANDING WAS EXECUTED. UNKNOWN TO THE PILOT, THE COLLISION WITH THE THRESHOLD LIGHT HAD COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. ON THE SUBSEQUENT LANDING THE AIRPLANE VEERED AS IT TOUCHED DOWN WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTAIL DAMAGE.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE TAILWIND AND THE IMPROPER TOUCH DOWN POINT. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND AND DOWNDRAFT WHICH RESULTED FROM THE TALL OBSTACLES (TREES) AROUND THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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