What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Collided with trees during go around from attempted landing in a parking lot. IMC prevailed.. (.4)the pilot was flying at 3,500 feet over a 'low level' broken cloud layer. When he thought he was near his destination he descended through a hole in the clouds. Once below the clouds the pilot encountered decreasing clouds and visibility. The pilot elected to land the airplane in an open parking area. Upon touchdown the pilot discovered the surface was wet and covered with loose gravel. Unable to stop the airplane he aborted the landing. Once airborne the airplane contacted trees at the end of the parking area. The pilot reported the sky was obscured and visibility was 0 to 1/4 mile due to fog in the area when the accident occurred. He reported he was informed of fog at his destination during the preflight weather briefing, but it was forecast to dissipate prior to his arrival. (-23) pilot departed Michigan city, in (mgc) enroute to troy, MI big beaver (3BB). He contacted detroit approach and was told to stand by and remain clear of the class b airspace. The controller had a large number of IFR de partures. The pilot called again and was told to "maintain radio silence." Controller later attempted to contact airplane, with no response. An oakland co., MI sheriff's deputy saw the airplane circling pine knob music theatre, about 5.3 NM nne of pontiac, MI airport (ptk). It touched down on a grass parking lot and went around. It touched down again, and on the second go-around hit a tree and fell to Clarkston road. The deputy estimated the ceiling and visibility as 100 feet and 2 miles.
As the FAA filed it
COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING GO AROUND FROM ATTEMPTED LANDING IN A PARKING LOT. IMC PREVAILED.. (.4)THE PILOT WAS FLYING AT 3,500 FEET OVER A 'LOW LEVEL' BROKEN CLOUD LAYER. WHEN HE THOUGHT HE WAS NEAR HIS DESTINATION HE DESCENDED THROUGH A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS. ONCE BELOW THE CLOUDS THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED DECREASING CLOUDS AND VISIBILITY. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE IN AN OPEN PARKING AREA. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT DISCOVERED THE SURFACE WAS WET AND COVERED WITH LOOSE GRAVEL. UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE HE ABORTED THE LANDING. ONCE AIRBORNE THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED TREES AT THE END OF THE PARKING AREA. THE PILOT REPORTED THE SKY WAS OBSCURED AND VISIBILITY WAS 0 TO 1/4 MILE DUE TO FOG IN THE AREA WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE REPORTED HE WAS INFORMED OF FOG AT HIS DESTINATION DURING THE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, BUT IT WAS FORECAST TO DISSIPATE PRIOR TO HIS ARRIVAL. (-23) PILOT DEPARTED MICHIGAN CITY, IN (MGC) ENROUTE TO TROY, MI BIG BEAVER (3BB). HE CONTACTED DETROIT APPROACH AND WAS TOLD TO STAND BY AND REMAIN CLEAR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE CONTROLLER HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF IFR DE PARTURES. THE PILOT CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO "MAINTAIN RADIO SILENCE." CONTROLLER LATER ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT AIRPLANE, WITH NO RESPONSE. AN OAKLAND CO., MI SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SAW THE AIRPLANE CIRCLING PINE KNOB MUSIC THEATRE, ABOUT 5.3 NM NNE OF PONTIAC, MI AIRPORT (PTK). IT TOUCHED DOWN ON A GRASS PARKING LOT AND WENT AROUND. IT TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN, AND ON THE SECOND GO-AROUND HIT A TREE AND FELL TO CLARKSTON ROAD. THE DEPUTY ESTIMATED THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY AS 100 FEET AND 2 MILES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.