20110919024379A

ACCORDING TO RADAR TRACKS N4867K ENTERED A NORMAL RIGHT DOWNWIND PATTERN FOR LANDING ON RWY 18. HIS INDICATED ALTITUDE WAS 1200 MSL. ATC DATA INDICATES N4867K WAS INITIALLY AT 1200 FT MSL BUT DESCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 1100 FT MSL APPROXIMATELY 1/2 DOWN THE DOWNWIND LEG WITH AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF APPROX 190 KTS. HIS ACTUAL GROUND SPEED WAS COMPOUNDED DUE TO AN ESTIMATED 20 KTS TAILWIND. AT APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY POINT OF HIS DOWNWIND LEG RADAR DATA INDICATES HE DESCENDED TO 1100 FT MSL. THE SLOW DESCENT CONTINUED THRU HIS RIGHT TURN UNTIL RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST APPROXIMALTEY 1.5 MILES OFF THE NORTHWEST END OF RWY 18. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AS HE INITIATED HIS RIGHT TURN TO BASE LEG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER ATC RECORDINGS INDICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOLD THE TOWER HE HAD MADE A "BOBO" AND HIT SOME TREES OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE WAS ABOUT TO TAKE A TRIP WHICH MIGHT HAVE REQUIRED HIM TO RETURN TO EAST TX REGIONAL AFTER DARK. HE HAD ELECTED TO GET NIGHT CURRENT BY MAKING A FLIGHT FROM EAST TX REGIONAL (KGGG) TO RUSK COUNTY AIRPORT WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MILES WEST OF GGG. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE HAD MADE 2 STOP AND GOS AT RUSK COUNTY, STOPPED FOR FUEL AND HAD HEADED BACK TO GGG FOR HIS FINAL LANDING. ARRIVING AT GGG HE WAS CLEARED FOR A RIGHT BASE TO LAND ON RWY 18. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS UNAWARE OF HIS DESCENT AND CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE GROUND. HIS DESCENT CONTINUED UNTIL IMPACTING TREES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER N4867K REPORTED HAD HAD MADE A "BO-BO" AND WAS COMING IN TO LAND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE HIT THE TREES OFF THE NORTH END OF RWY 18. DURING HIS INTERVIEW, HE STATED HIS ALTIMETER NEVER INDICATED A DESCENT AND HIS AIRSPEED NEVER DEVIATED FROM 90 KTS PRIOR TO HITTING THE TREE TOPS. AFTER HITTING THE TREES HE CONTACTED GGG TOWER AND COMPLETED HIS LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. HOWEVER, CRASH RESCUE DID RETRIEVE A LARGE TREE LIMB FROM THE RUNWAY AFTER HE HAD LANDED.