20020508008219A

(.19) On may 8, 2002, at 1030 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172M, N754LT, collided with terrain during an attempted go-around from the Continental airstrip (private), green valley, Arizona. The airplane was owned and operated by wright flight, inc., of tucson, Arizona, under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 of the federal aviation regulations, and sustained substantial damage. The two private pilots, the sole occupants, were company employees and sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local area personal proficiency flight that departed from the tucson international airport, tucson, about 0900. Officers from the pima county sheriff's department and the tucson airport authority police department responded to the accident site. They stated that the aircraft was resting on a hillside just to the east of the Continental airstrip's north-south asphalt runway. The propeller was extensively bent and curled. The landing gear were torn off the fuselage and impact damage was evident to one wing and the fuselage belly. The flaps appeared to be full down. Both occupants had exited the airplane unassisted and were transportedto a hospital for medical treatment and evaluation. The passenger had sustained facial lacerations. The left seat pilot was interviewed prior to transport to the hospital. The pilot stated that they were attempting to land on the airstrip using the north runway and had encountered a windshear or downdraft. The pilot told the officers that he attempted to go around and had trouble climbing. The airplane did not climb fast enough to avoid the hill and he collided with it in a controlled manner. The responding officers stated that when they first arrived at the accident site, the winds were from the south at an estimated 10 mph, with occasional variations in the direction from west through east. Safety board investigators interviewed the president of wright flight, inc., by telephone. He said that wright flight is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering educational opportunities for children in the tucson area. Children are given flying opportunities in exchange for improvement in school grades. The pilot involved in the accident, is a full time employee of wright flight and is the program director for the organization. The other person on the airplane was an occasional employee of the organization, and was functioning as a safety pilot on this flight. The purpose of the flight was for currency for upcoming flights with children this weekend. He said that he had spoken briefly by telephone to the pilot, who told him that they were making an approach to land at the Continental airstrip and encountered a severe downdraft. The pilot said he attempted to go around, but the airplane bounced twice on the runway. It became airborne again and he attempted to continue the go-around. The airplane would not climb well and when he realized he would not clear the hill terrain feature in their flight path, he performed a controlled impact. The pilot was interviewed by telephone on may 9, 2002. He reported that he was doing high airwork (slow flight, stalls, steep turns, etc.) For practice and then wanted to do some landings. They were near the Continental airstrip and decided to use it for the landing practice. He listened to the ATIS from tucson and nogales (Continental airstrip is almost exactly between the two airports, which are about 15 to 20 miles north and south of the airstrip), and both were reporting calm wind conditions. He did not overfly the airport to check for wind indications and performed an extended right base entry to a long final approach. Neither he nor his passenger saw any indications of unusual wind activity (I.e., dust devils, blowing dust, etc.), and assumed the wind was calm. The pilot said that about 100 feet AGL on short final approach to runway 1, the aircraft encountered a high sink rate and literally "fell to the runway." The aircraft bounced very hard, then bounced again and became airborne. He realized that trying to save the landing was not a good idea so he added full power to go around. The airplane became airborne headed off the right side of the runway toward a 40- to 50-foot-high hill that is about 200 feet from the pavement. The aircraft was sluggish and would not climb, and, he had trouble trying to make it turn to the left. He said he did not have time to retract the flaps before impact with the hillside. He stated that the airplane flew fine until the first bounce. After it became airborne again, he does not understand why he could not make it turn to the left. The engine sounds were normal. (-23) private pilot rated airman states that he was PIC in left seat (ATP rated pilot in right seat) and was making an approach for full stop landing to AZ35. At 100 feet AGL he states he encountered a downdraft and contacted the runway hard, bounced twice, and then decided to go around. He applied full power, drifted to the right and settled to the ground into small trees with full flaps still selected. Pilot did not receive injuries however right seat passengers head impacted the glareshield and sustained lacerations. Approximately 2 weeks later, the passenger was diagnosed with a cracked vertebra and is currently wearing a "halo" head device.