NTSB Factual Report

The pilot and passenger arrived at their destination airport after a cross-country flight. The pilot reported he lowered the landing gear and flaps to 30-degrees while on the downwind leg to the runway. He added that as he lined up for the runway, the airplane drifted to the right, indicating a strong wind from the west. After the airplane crossed the beginning of the runway, the drift increased and the pilot tried to correct back to the runway centerline. The pilot further stated that apparently the airspeed decreased and the airplane “stalled between five and ten feet above the runway”. The airplane landed hard, slid off the runway onto a glass slope, and came to rest in an upright position. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, including separation of the empennage section, forward of the vertical stabilizer.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s improper flare and subsequent aerodynamic stall, which resulted in a hard landing.