February 22, So. Charleston, W.V. / Cessna 182

At about 1542 eastern time, a Cessna 182P crashed while landing at Mallory Airport. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger was killed. The pilot was landing with ATIS reporting the wind as 160 at nine knots. In addition, the pilot noted steam from a stack northwest of the airport indicating the wind was calm below 1,500 feet msl, despite stronger winds aloft. The pilot made traffic for runway 33 and was flaring for landing when the airplane yawed hard to the left. The pilot compensated with rudder and one wheel touched down. The pilot decided to abort the landing and applied full power, but the airplane hit trees off the departure end of the runway. Landings at the airport are restricted to runway 33 because of rising terrain on the approach end of runway 15. The pilot said he was comfortable landing on the 2,000-foot runway with a tailwind. A witness at the field said there was a sudden wind shift just as the airplane was crossing the threshold.