Bellanca Citabria 7GCBC, VH-SDH, Monegeetta, Victoria, on 20 January 1991

Circumstances:

The pilot reported that he was attempting to land on a short, one-way strip in a quartering tail wind. While on short final the wind speed increased. The aircraft drifted left and sank low on the approach path, finally striking a rock fence just short of the threshold. The left landing gear assembly and the right wheel and axle were dislodged in the impact. The aircraft came to rest some 30 metres from the fence to the left of the strip. The pilot advised that the strip did not meet the requirements of an Authorised Landing Area (ALA) in terms of slope, length, and obstacles. He was not experienced in operating in tail wind conditions into one-way strips and had only landed at this particular strip once before but in different wind conditions.

Significant Factors:

The following factors were considered relevant to the development of the accident:

1. The pilot was attempting to land on a short sloping strip in hilly terrain. He was not familiar with the strip nor with landing on a steep upslope.

2. The pilot used a flat, low approach technique rather than the correct short field approach procedure.

3. A possible increase in the tail wind was not detected in time to stop the aircraft descending onto a rock fence. This accident was not the subject of an on-scene investigation.