Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed for the approach to landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot said he was approaching his airstrip at low speed with the airplane in the landing configuration when the wind "stopped." The airplane lost altitude and hit the top of a tree at the end of the runway. The airplane then hit the ground and nosed over.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 9, 2011, about 0930 central daylight time, a Hunziker Eros 1650R, N104JX, struck a tree and impacted terrain while on landing approach to a private airstrip 4 miles southeast of Quitman, Texas. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from the airstrip about 0830.The pilot told an FAA inspector that he was approaching his airstrip at low speed in landing configuration when the wind "stopped." The airplane dropped and hit the top of a tree at the end of the runway. The airplane then hit the ground and nosed over.