Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare and his failure to maintain directional control during the aborted landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The airplane bounced on touchdown on the sod strip and the pilot decided to abort the landing. During the abort, the left main gear collided with a fence. The pilot stated that after the collision, he noticed that the airspeed had decayed to forty knots and he decided to stall the airplane into an open pasture.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 24, 1993, at approximately 0750 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N65709, was substantially damaged when it collided with a fence and the ground during an aborted landing near Cookson, Oklahoma. The airplane, flown by a private pilot, was on a personal cross country flight. There was a VFR flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area. Neither the pilot nor the two passengers were injured. According to the pilot, the airplane bounced on touchdown on the sod strip and he decided to abort the landing. During the abort the left main landing gear collided with a fence. The pilot stated that after the collision, he looked at the airspeed and seeing that he had less than forty knots, decided to stall the airplane. The airplane impacted in an open pasture adjacent to the runway. -