Primary finding
Probable cause
Was the pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath, his failure to compensate for existing wind conditions, and his failure to maintain clearance with the fence. A factor was the weather.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The private pilot and the passenger reported encountering a wind shear, accompanied by a strong downdraft, while on short final to runway 17. The pilot added power but the horizontal stabilator struck a barbed wire fence, and the airplane landed hard short of the threshold. The wind at the time of the accident was reported from 200 degrees at 22 knots, gusting to 29 knots.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 13, 1994, at 1145 central daylight time, a Cessna 177, N2867X, was substantially damaged while landing near Watonga, Oklahoma. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. The pilot stated that a wind shear, accompanied by a strong downdraft, was encountered while on short final to runway 17 at the Watonga Airport. The pilot added that "power was applied to make the runway, and as the airplane flared, the horizontal stabilator struck a barbed wire fence." The pilot further stated that the contact with the fence forced the main landing gear to impact on a dirt road short of the runway threshold. Wind was from 200 degrees at 22 knots, gusting to 29. -