Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain the landing airspeed. The inadvertent stall was a factor related to this accident.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was conducting a local traffic pattern personal flight. On the first approach the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane during the landing flare. The airplane sustained a hard landing which collapsed the nose and right main landing gears.
Source record
Factual narrative
On September 11, 1993, at 0927 hours mountain standard time, an Alfred F. DiBernardino RV-6A amateur built airplane, N45FD, sustained a hard landing on runway 22L at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. The pilot was conducting a local visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. Neither the certificated private pilot nor his passenger were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Falcon Field at 0920. The pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, he flared the airplane about 6 feet above the ground and then the left wing dropped. He applied right aileron to arrest the left wing low attitude, but without success. The left wing struck the runway followed by the right wing. The nose and right main landing gears collapsed. -