Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing. The rough terrain of the runway also contributed to the outcome.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was approaching the runway for landing and said that the airplane suddenly encountered a high sink rate due to “wind shear.” The pilot tried to add engine power to compensate, but the airplane landed on the main landing gear and bounced. Once the airplane settled back onto the turf runway, the nosewheel struck a hole in the ground, which he believed was a gopher tortoise burrow. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the underside of the airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged. A weather reporting station at an airport 6 nautical miles from the accident location reported that a right quartering headwind at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots, existed about the time of the accident.