NTSB Factual Report

On May 30, 2016, about 0330 central daylight time (all times cdt), a Beech A23-24, N5771V, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on runway 32 (4,600 ft by 75 ft, asphalt) at the Clintonville Municipal Airport (CLI), Clintonville, Wisconsin. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight departed the Perry County Municipal Airport (TEL), Tell, Indiana, about 0100.

The pilot reported that he initially departed North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood, Florida, on May 29, 2016, and landed at the Palatka Municipal Airport (28J), Palatka, Florida, after a 3 hour 20 minute flight. A fuel receipt indicated that the airplane was fueled with 38.8 gallons of fuel at 1430 while at 28J. The pilot's next fuel stop was at TEL and the fuel receipt indicated that the airplane was fueled with 47 gallons of fuel at 2359. The pilot reported that he planned to land at CLI for fuel and then proceed to his destination airport, Langlade County Airport, Antigo, Wisconsin, about 36 nm northwest of CLI. The pilot reported that the total time from when he departed HWO until the time of the accident was about 15 hours 30 minutes. He stated that he had a full night of sleep before the initial flight, and was able to eat and "chill out" at TEL before departing on the last leg of flight. He reported that he felt "great" during the last leg of flight and was not tired when he arrived at CLI for landing.

The pilot reported that the weather during the accident flight was good and without any thunderstorms or rain showers. However, although the surface weather observation at CLI indicated visual meteorological conditions, the pilot reported that there was ground fog at CLI when he arrived for landing. He could see the runway and precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights through the ground fog on his approach. During the final approach, the PAPI lights were white/red down to about 250 ft above ground level. Then the lights went red/red, indicating that the airplane was below the glidepath. He corrected for the low altitude by adding power. The airplane was lined up with the runway, and he was "looking to land at the start of the lighted runway." He stated that the airplane touch down felt normal, perhaps with the back tire[s] hitting the runway first. However, he stated that, "once on the ground, then I felt the nose wheel give out, dropping the plane down on top of the nose wheel and using it as a skid plate until we stopped about 300 feet down the runway."

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and runway at CLI. The examination of runway 32 revealed that one of the runway threshold lights, which was painted yellow, had been struck. There was a tire impact mark near the beginning of the runway's asphalt surface about 40 ft right of the runway's centerline. This tire skid mark continued down the runway for about 22 ft to where the first propeller strike was observed. A second propeller strike mark was located about 5 1/2 ft from the first propeller strike. A long scrape mark began near the second propeller strike and continued to where the airplane came to rest, which was about 370 ft from the start of the asphalt and near the runway centerline.

The examination of the airplane revealed that the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer was dented and had a yellow paint transfer mark on it. The nose landing gear had collapsed. The nose wheel was lodged under the airplane and it formed an indentation into the belly skin. Both wings exhibited buckling and twisting with damage to the wing spars.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper glidepath during the night visual approach, which resulted in impact with a runway threshold light, and his improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's fatigue.