Fulton, MO, USA
N55MW
WHEELER Pitts Special
The experimental amatuer-built airplane impacted terrain during a visual approach to landing on an 1,800 foot long turf runway at a private airstrip. The pilot stated that due to trees at the approach end of the runway, a steeper than normal glide path is required. He said that during the approach, he could not slip the airplane to gain forward visibility because it was too slow and steep. The airplane impacted an embankment at the approach end of the runway during landing and nosed over.
On February 22, 2006, at 1600 central standard time, an experimental amateur-built Wheeler Pitts Special, N55MW, owned and piloted by a commercial pilot, impacted terrain during landing at Sky-Go Farms Airport (73MU), Fulton, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot received minor injuries. The local flight originated from Elton Hensley Memorial Airport (FTT), Fulton, Missouri, at 1545. The pilot was attempting a visual approach to land on runway 27 at 73MU. The pilot stated that trees at the approach end of runway 27 require a steeper than normal glide path. During the approach, the airplane was too slow and steep to slip the airplane to gain forward visibility. On short final, the pilot noticed an increased sink rate, "possibly [from convection] current or downdraft from slope of runway and surrounding terrain". The pilot stated that during landing, the airplane impacted an embankment, slid for about 100 feet, nosed over, and came to a stop inverted. The pilot stated that his exit from the airplane was aided by a cracked canopy from the rollover. He manually broke a hole through the canopy and exited the airplane. Sky-Go Farms Airport (73MU) is a private airstrip served by runways 9-27 (1,800 feet by 60 feet, turf) and runways 18-36 (1,800 feet by 60 feet, turf). The pilot stated that the runway 27 approach end possessed a 45-degree embankment that was one foot below the runway surface. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by: not attempting a short field landing, adding more power on final and landing a bit longer, and adding full power and executing a go-around.
The altitude/clearance not obtained/maintained during landing by the pilot. Contributing factors were the trees, the embankment, the runway length, and the reduced visual lookout during the approach.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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