CHI04CA211
2004-07-31 · Waunakee, Wisconsin, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport 6P3
Current FAA registration · N917WT
- Make / Model
- STAMSTA DAVID WITTMAN TAILWIND W10
- Year of manufacture
- 2003 · 1 years old at event
- Engine
- LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
- Seats / Engines
- 2 seats · 1 engine
- Last airworthiness date
- 20030725
- ADS-B equipped
- Yes — Mode-S ACB2B2
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during final approach, which resulted in the inadvertent stall/mush at a low altitude and subsequent hard landing. A factor to the accident was the pilot's unsuccessful remedial action to the encountered stall/mush at a low altitude.
Factual narrative
On July 31, 2004, at 1930 central daylight time, an amateur-built Stamsta Wittman Tailwind W10, N917WT, built and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged while attempting to land on runway 27 (2,223 feet by 30 feet, dry asphalt) at the Waunakee Airport (6P3), Waunakee, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed 6P3 at 1830. The pilot reported that when he turned onto final approach the airplane was positioned about 500 feet above ground level (agl) with an airspeed indication of 80 miles/hour. The pilot stated that he noticed the airplane was too high while he crossed-over the approach end of the runway and that the "airspeed was at stall [speed]." The pilot stated he responded by lowering the aircraft's nose and increasing engine power. The pilot reported the increase of engine power "did not respond until nearly on the runway." The pilot stated the airplane "landed hard" and the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane stalled while on short final approach, which resulted in a hard landing. The pilot reported that when he turned onto final approach the airplane was positioned about 500 feet above ground level (agl) with an airspeed indication of 80 miles/hour. The pilot stated that he noticed the airplane was too high while he crossed-over the approach end of the runway and that the "airspeed was at stall [speed]." The pilot stated he responded by lowering the aircraft's nose and increasing engine power. The pilot reported the increase of engine power "did not respond until nearly on the runway." The pilot stated the airplane "landed hard" and the main landing gear collapsed. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2004_CHI04CA211.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
Search this event elsewhere
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Related research
Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (stall). All research papers
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- arXiv 2022 · arXiv preprint Enhanced Prediction of Three-dimensional Finite Iced Wing Separated Flow Near Stall
Icing on three-dimensional wings causes severe flow separation near stall. Standard improved delayed detached eddy simulation (IDDES) is unable to correctly predict the separating reattaching flow due…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2021 · Journal article (JAAER) Analysis on the Negative Emotional, Physiological, and Cognitive Responses Elicited from of the Activation of a Stall Alarm
Failing to identify an aerodynamic stall can lead to the inability of an aircraft to sustain flight. To warn pilots of an impending or fully-developed stall, many aircraft have safety devices installe…