NTSB Factual Report

On July 23, 2001, at 0923 central daylight time (cdt), an amateur-built McIlraith Searey Amphibian, N216ST, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with the terrain during an attempted go-around at the La Crosse Municipal Airport, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The test flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The flight departed the La Crosse Municipal Airport at 0850 for the local flight.

According to the pilot's statement, he had installed a new propeller and was flying to satisfy a five-hour test flight requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The pilot reported that he, "... unfortunately did not get a weather briefing of any kind." The pilot stated that the flight was approximately 0.5 hour in length and that he had decided to return to the airport because of a cloudbank that had moved in from the north. The pilot reported that, "I obtained the current ATIS which was still reporting 7 knot winds at the field. As I turned final for runway 31, the tower reported 30 knot winds. I continued the approach until the turbulence became severe. Starting the go around, the turbulence became extreme and I reduced power to reduce airspeed and stress on the airframe. Unfortunately, I reduced airspeed to just above stall speed and in the next gust the plane stalled. During recovery I landed hard, but was still right side up for some seconds until a gust picked up the right (I think) wing and turned the plane upside down destroying the wings and prop." The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had obtained a weather briefing prior to the flight.

According to air traffic controllers stationed at the La Crosse Municipal Airport, the weather conditions dramatically changed between the accident airplane's departure and the time of the accident. The local air traffic controllers attempted to relay the changing weather conditions to the pilot of the accident airplane, but were unable to make contact with the pilot. The pilot, upon his return to the airport area, established radio contact and requested to make a full stop landing.

The weather conditions for the La Crosse Municipal Airport were listed as follows:

Observation Time: 0853 cdt

Wind: 210-degrees magnetic at 7 knots

Visibility: 10 statute miles

Sky Condition: Few Clouds at 1,100 feet above ground level (agl)

Temperature: 26-degrees Celsius

Dew Point Temperature: 24-degrees Celsius

Pressure: 29.80 inches of mercury

Observation Time: 0923 cdt

Wind: 290-degrees magnetic at 26 knots gusting to 33 knots

Visibility: 10 statute miles

Sky Condition: Few Clouds at 2,400 feet agl

Broken Ceiling at 3,400 feet agl

Overcast Ceiling at 9,000 feet agl

Temperature: 27-degrees Celsius

Dew Point Temperature: 23-degrees Celsius

Pressure: 29.86 inches of mercury

Observation Time: 0935 cdt

Wind: 320-degrees magnetic at 19 knots gusting to 33 knots

Visibility: 10 statute miles

Sky Condition: Light Rain

Scattered Clouds at 2,300 feet agl

Broken Ceiling at 2,900 feet agl

Overcast Ceiling at 9,000 feet agl

Temperature: 26-degrees Celsius

Dew Point Temperature: 22-degrees Celsius

Pressure: 29.88 inches of mercury

Remarks: Peak wind, recorded at 0928 cdt, was 310-degrees magnetic

at 33 knots

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and turbulence which resulted in the encountered stall. Factors to the accident were turbulence and the high wind condition.