ERA10FA356

The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and subsequent improper go-around procedure, which resulted in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and collision with a tree.

Witnesses observed the airplane overfly the runway and enter a left traffic pattern. The airplane appeared to be faster than they were accustomed to seeing small airplanes operating. The airplane touched down hard on the runway surface and bounced several times before departing off the left side into the grass. The engine was described by the witnesses as operating at full power and the airplane appeared to by flying about 60 to 70 mph. The nose of the airplane was observed in a 45-degree nose up attitude and then leveled out back onto the ground. The airplane traveled 840 feet until the left wing collided with a tree and the airplane spun to the left and collided with the airport perimeter fence. The left and right flaps were in the retracted position. The Pilot's Operating Handbook for the airplane stated that the flaps are required to be extended 50 percent for a balked landing/go-around. No anomalies were noted during the examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 12, 2010, at 1513 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR20, N527MJ, operating as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, collided with pine trees and a perimeter fence after it veered off runway 9 while landing at Horace Williams Airport (IGX), Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The certificated private pilot was killed. The front seat passenger received serious injuries and the rear seat passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated at Sussex County Airport, Georgetown, Delaware, between 1230 and 1245. According to FAA personnel the flight had been receiving VFR flight following with air traffic control, but cancelled in the vicinity of IGX. The front seat passenger stated in a statement through his attorney that he had no recollection of the events after the pilot perform the descent arrival checklist for landing at IGX. According to the rear seat passenger, the flight was uneventful until landing at IGX. Upon arrival, the pilot made a left “U” turn to final. The airplane touched down on the runway, “hopped” back into the air, touched back down again, and hopped twice more before making a final landing on the runway, about midfield. The pilot applied power, and the airplane went off the left side of the runway. Without enough speed to get airborne, the airplane collided with some trees and a fence, and came to a complete stop. Two friends of the rear seat passenger were waiting at IGX. According to one of the friends, the airplane overflew the runway and entered left traffic for runway 9. “The airplane appeared to be coming in faster than usual for a small plane and according to the windsock beside the runway, the plane was landing with the wind not against it. The initial landing was pretty hard and there was a small bounce and all three wheels left the ground. When the plane came down the second time , the front wheel hit first and there was a bigger bounce. The plane bounced a third and fourth time, each time the front wheel hitting first and each bounce getting more pronounced. At this point it seemed like the airplane was out of control. It passed out of sight behind a structure on the airfield so I could not see it for about three seconds, but I heard the engine rev loudly. I believe he was trying to lift off for another pass. When the plane came into view again it was sliding or gliding across the grass on the left side of the runway. As it was sliding it rotated almost 180 degrees to the left so it was facing back towards the direction it had landed from. The right side of the plane struck the fence and tree. Almost immediately following the impact, the rocket assisted parachute fired out in the direction the plane was originally traveling.” Three witnesses, who were standing in front of their maintenance hangar, reported seeing the airplane in the vicinity of the last third of the runway. All of the witnesses reported that the engine was running at “full power.” One witness stated that the airplane went into the grass off the north side of runway 9. Another witness estimated the airplane was traveling between 60 to 70 miles per hour when it departed the runway, and the third witness stated the nose of the airplane was observed in a 45-degree nose-up attitude. The nose leveled out back on the ground and the airplane continued forward until it collided with the trees and the airport perimeter fence. The engine then stopped and the ballistic parachute activated. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 66, held a private pilot certificate issued on October 6, 2004, with an airplane single-engine land rating. The pilot's latest flight review was on July 5, 2009. The pilot held Federal Aviation Administration third class medical certificate, issued on November 17, 2009, with no restrictions. Review of the pilot's logbook and Excel spread sheet revealed he had 462.16 total flight hours; 197.16 hours were in the Cirrus SR20, and of those, 194.46 hours were as pilot in command. The pilot had flown 19.57 hours in the last 90 days, and 12.67 hours in the last 30 days, including 2.83 hours on the accident flight. Examination of the pilot’s logbook revealed that the accident flight was the first time he had landed at IGX. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The Cirrus SR20 was a four-place airplane with a fixed tricycle landing gear, serial number 1056, manufactured in 2000. A Teledyne Continental, 210-horsepower, horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine powered the airplane. Review of the airplane logbooks revealed that the last annual inspection was conducted on March 5, 2010, at a recorded HOBBS time of 1,343.3 hours. The HOBBS meter at the accident site indicated 1,394.7 hours. The airplane flew 51.4 hours since the last annual inspection. The engine was overhauled on March 12, 2004, by Teledyne Mattituck Services, Inc, at 923 hours time in service. The airplane was last refueled at New Castle Airport (ILG), Wilmington, Delaware, on July 11, 2010, with 25.9 gallons of 100 low lead fuel. The actual amount of fuel on board at take off could not be determined. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The 1253 IGX surface weather observation was: wind from 170 degrees true at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 28 degrees Celsius, dew point temperature 21 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 29.91 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATION Runway 9 at IGX is 4,005 feet long, 75 feet wide, and consisted of asphalt. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION Examination of runway 9 revealed the airplane departed the left side of the runway at a laser-measured 2,476 feet from the approach end, on a heading of 080 degrees magnetic. There was evidence of three tail strikes in the grass. The first strike was located 344 feet, extending to 359 feet from where the airplane departed the runway. The second tail strike was located 511 feet, extending to 526 feet from where the airplane departed the runway. The final tail strike was located 586 feet, extending to 598 feet from where the airplane departed the runway. The airplane traveled 840 feet before the left wing collided with pine trees and a perimeter fence, rotated to the left, and came to rest on a heading of 297 degrees magnetic, 191 feet north of the runway. Propeller “V” cuts were present on separated tree branches, and browning of vegetation was present under both wings. The upper and lower engine cowlings were fractured and remained attached to the engine. The engine assembly was displaced forward and to the right. The engine separated from all engine mounts except for the right front engine mount. All accessories remained attached to the engine except for the oil filter. The firewall was crushed inward and bent. The nose landing gear remained attached to the airframe. The propeller assembly remained attached to the propeller crankshaft flange. The spinner was crushed and exhibited torsional damage. Chordwise scarring was present on the cambered and non cambered side of all propeller blades. The forward cabin area windscreen was broken. The cabin roof was fragmented aft to both “B” pillars. The forward cabin area separated forward of the spar tunnel. The instrument panel was crushed inward on the right side. Aileron, elevator and rudder continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces. The flap actuator was found extended 4 inches, which is consistent with the flaps in the “UP” position. The rear cabin roof was intact from the “B” pillars extending aft to the aft baggage compartment bulkhead. The left side window and rear windows were intact. The right side window was broken. The left and right cabin doors separated from the fuselage and the cabin door handles were in the locked position. The right wing remained attached to the fuselage attachment bolts. The right wing leading edge was crushed inward 4 feet outb