Posted for "DJ Molny" <djmolny@yahoo.com>:

Ron -

What a heartbreak!  You have my deepest sympathies, I know what it feels
like to bend an airplane and it's no fun at all.  Hindsight is 20/20, so
don't kick yourself too hard.  You should take some satisfaction from the
fact that you were able to control the impact to a large degree and save
your own butt to fly again another day.

Related topic for all readers: Do you ever practice flying without an
airspeed gauge?  In my experience most partial panel work focuses on gyro
problems, yet here are several ways in which the airspeed indicator can fail
including: blockage from ice, water, insects, or debris, obstructed static
ports, loose or crushed tubing, bad gauge, the list goes on.  Get to know
the feel of the airplane at various speeds and power settings so that you
have a second internal airspeed reference in case the primary fails.

Sincerely,
DJ Molny
Extra 300/L
(Lancair someday)