LIMINGTON, ME, USA
N5704D
PIPER PA-22-150
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ON AN APPROACH IN GUSTY, CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. AT THE THRESHOLD, THE PILOT PULLED UP WITH APPLICATION OF POWER & INITIATED A GO-AROUND & A LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT PASSED VERY LOW OVER TREES NEAR THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES REPORTED THEY OBSERVED THE TAIL PITCH UP & THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & CRASHED. NO PRE-EXISTING FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND WITH THE AIRCRAFT. A SIGMET FOR OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 6000' & WINDSHEAR WAS IN EFFECT. HIGH WINDS WERE NOTED OVER A LARGE AREA. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A WX BRIEFING FOR THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN CONVERTED TO A TAILWHEEL CONFIGURATION VIA STC. IT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER DIED FROM A SEVERE HEAD INJURY. THE LOW TIME PILOT HAD ONLY 6 HRS FLIGHT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS, LACK OF PILOT EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, AND THE LACK OF SHOULDER HARNESS/UPPER BODY RESTRAINT DURING IMPACT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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