NTSB Factual Report

On August 6, 2008, approximately 0710 central daylight time, a Beech C23, N24598, registered to the Beech Employees Flying Club, was substantially damaged when it made a hard landing at the Augusta Municipal Airport (3AU), Augusta, Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The local flight originated from Augusta approximately 0705.

According to the flight instructor's accident report, there was rain to the north and northeast of Wichita that was moving to the east. He observed rain and lightning to the distant north and made the decision to give his student some experience in touch-and-go and crosswind landings. He said the wind was out of the east-northeast at 14 knots. As they taxied for takeoff, he checked the Jabara (3KM) Airport's ASOS (Automated Surface Observing System), and it was reporting the wind from 050 degrees at 10 knots. The takeoff and crosswind and downwind legs were without incident. When they turned on to final approach, the student used the VASI (Visual Approach Slope Indicator) lights as an aid for proper glide path. The instructor said that their speed was 70 knots and the student had deployed one notch of flaps. When they were on a 1-1/2 mile final approach, they encountered turbulence and airspeed had dropped to 68 knots. Short of the runway threshold, the airplane "experienced a sinking action" from an altitude of about 30 to 40 feet. The instructor pushed the nose down "to gain some lift," then pulled up to flare. The airplane continued to sink and struck the runway "at a high rate" and bounced. The airplane touched down again and skidded off the left side of the runway onto the grass. It struck a ditch and the nose gear collapsed. Later examination revealed the left main landing gear had been torn off and it struck the left horizontal stabilizer, denting the leading edge and bending the stabilizer midspan.

Asked how the accident could have been prevented, the instructor wrote: "Receive a better weather report and understand the effects of a frontal boundary and windshear. Carry more speed on final when these conditions exist as well as be prepared for windshear and identify windshear early enough to power out of the condition."

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident were the flight instructor's inadequate supervision, turbulence, airspeed was not maintained, and compensation for the wind conditions was inadequate.