ASHLAND, VA, USA
N33320
PIPER PA-28-180
WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT WAS HIGH & FAST ON FINAL APCH, THEN IT LEVELED OFF ABOUT 15 FT ABOVE THE RWY. AFTER TRAVELING A SHORT DISTANCE, THE ACFT BEGAN CLIMBING AS IF THE PLT WAS MAKING A GO-AROUND & IT ENTERED A LEFT TURN OVR TREES BESIDETHE RWY. WITNESSES SAID THEY DID NOT HEAR ANY CHANGE IN ENG RPM WHEN THE ACFT BEGAN THE CLIMBING TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT DSCNDD, HIT TWO TREES (ON AN EASTERLY HDG) & CAME TO REST APRX 225 YDS NORTHEAST OF RWY 16. THE 1ST TREE WAS STRUCK BY THE ACFT'S RGT WING, 28 FT AGL & ABOUT 35 YDS FROM WHERE THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT WAS TURNING LEFT WHEN IT IMPACTED THE 1ST TREE. PROPELLER SLASH MARKS WERE FOUND AT THE BASE OF THE 2ND TREE, ABOUT 4 YDS FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE; THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE CURLED BY IMPACT DAMAGE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND.
IMPROPER GO-AROUND BY THE PILOT BY NOT MAINTAINING A CLIMB AND OBTAINING PROPER ALTITUDE BEFORE TURNING. THE PILOT'S POOR APPROACH AND THE TREES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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