NTSB Factual Report

The private pilot was landing at a familiar airport at night. During the landing, the pilot reported misjudging the runway landing zone and approached the runway with a steep descent. The airplane landed hard on the runway and bounced back into the air. The pilot reported that while back in the air, a crosswind drifted the airplane off of the 100-foot wide runway and the airplane touched down in the grass off of the runway. When the pilot applied power to go-around, the airplane's nose wheel dug into the soil and the airplane flipped inverted. Substantial damage was sustained to the fuselage, empennage, and rudder. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. An examination of the airframe and engine by Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. In addition, the pilot reported no problems with the airport facilities.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper glidepath and rate of descent during approach, resulting in a hard landing.