Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision making during an aborted landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was landing in an uphill direction on a small grass airstrip. The airstrip, located about 880 feet mean sea level, was 1,200 feet long, and about 80 feet wide. The pilot reported he bounced the airplane during the initial touchdown. He applied full power to abort the landing. The pilot began a left turn but the airplane did not climb above tall trees surrounding the airport. The airplane began colliding with several trees about 50 feet above the ground, about 1/8 mile from the runway. The airplane then collided with power lines adjacent to a road, and then continued into numerous trees. The airplane's wings were torn off the fuselage. The airplane received additional damage to the fuselage and tail assembly. The pilot reported the weather conditions at the time of the accident included calm winds, with a temperature of about 80 degrees F.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 10, 1997, about 1930 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Boeing D-75N1 airplane, N60821, collided with several trees during a go-around at Eagle, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed. The certificated private pilot and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Eagle about 1915. On July 11, 1997, at 1515, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), he was giving a ride to the passenger around the local area. The pilot departed a small grass airstrip located near the town. The airstrip is oriented in a north/south direction, about 880 feet mean sea level. It is about 1,200 feet long, and about 80 feet wide. The pilot indicated he planned to land toward the south. In that direction, the runway sloped slightly uphill. The pilot reported he bounced the airplane during the initial touchdown. He applied full power and began a go-around. The pilot began a left turn but the airplane did not climb above tall trees surrounding the airport. The airplane began colliding with several trees about 50 feet above the ground, about 1/8 mile from the runway. The airplane then collided with power lines adjacent to a road, and then continued into numerous trees. The airplane's wings were torn off the fuselage. The airplane received additional damage to the fuselage and tail assembly. The pilot reported the weather conditions at the time of the accident included calm winds, with a temperature of about 80 degrees F. -