What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft landed and ran out of runway, attempted to takeoff again, hit trees, crashed. (.4) on June 8, 1997, at 1830 eastern daylight time, N94435, an Ercoupe g, was destroyed when it collided with a tree, and descended to the ground during an aborted landing at a private grass strip in dalton, new york. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local, personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. Witnesses near to the accident site reported that the airplane touched down long, and hard on the 1,320 foot long, private, unmowed turf strip. The pilot attempted to go-around, but the right wing struck a 35-50 foot high tree at the departure end of the runway, and the airplane descended into a field west of the runway. According to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane touched down to the east about 400 feet beyond the approach end of the turf strip. The inspector said that the witnesses reported that the pilot pointed the airplane between two trees, but the right wing struck the trees and, "...spun the airplane into the f ield...." According to the FAA, the pilot did not have a current bi-annual. Examination of the wreckage did not disclose any abnormalities with the engine or the airplane.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT LANDED AND RAN OUT OF RUNWAY, ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF AGAIN, HIT TREES, CRASHED. (.4) ON JUNE 8, 1997, AT 1830 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, N94435, AN ERCOUPE G, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A TREE, AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND DURING AN ABORTED LANDING AT A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP IN DALTON, NEW YORK. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE LOCAL, PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR 91. WITNESSES NEAR TO THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN LONG, AND HARD ON THE 1,320 FOOT LONG, PRIVATE, UNMOWED TURF STRIP. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO GO-AROUND, BUT THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A 35-50 FOOT HIGH TREE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO A FIELD WEST OF THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN TO THE EAST ABOUT 400 FEET BEYOND THE APPROACH END OF THE TURF STRIP. THE INSPECTOR SAID THAT THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT POINTED THE AIRPLANE BETWEEN TWO TREES, BUT THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE TREES AND, "...SPUN THE AIRPLANE INTO THE F IELD...." ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT BI-ANNUAL. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY ABNORMALITIES WITH THE ENGINE OR THE AIRPLANE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.