Primary finding
Probable cause
The non-certificated pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent hard landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The non-certificated pilot was landing the airplane following a local flight. The prevailing wind condition for the runway selected by the pilot for the landing included a quartering tailwind at 3 knots, with gusts to 9 knots. The pilot described that during the landing, the airplane floated down the runway, after which the airplane stalled and then contacted the runway hard. The airplane’s left wing and engine mounts were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.