Practice ends when pilot hits corn stalks

The pilot reported that he was practicing short-field, touch-and-go landings on a private grass airstrip in Breckenridge, Michigan.

The final leg of the approach was over a cornfield and a road perpendicular to the approach end of the airstrip.

During final, the main landing gear (MLG) struck corn stalks that were about 6′ tall. The Piper PA-22 then landed short and struck the road. The right MLG collapsed, and the plane slid across the road and onto the grass airstrip.

The airplane’s nose dug into the grass and dirt, and the airplane nosed over.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing strut and the rudder.

The pilot reported that “this accident was pilot error” and that he believed that he became “fixated on the beginning of the grass and was oblivious to the height of the corn.”

Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of situational awareness during the approach over a corn field, which resulted in a collision with corn stalks.

NTSB Identification: GAA17CA416

This July 2017 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.