What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 2 at approximately 14:00 local, N718CC, a cubcrafter sport Cub was substantially damaged after impact with trees at the Reigle Airport in Palmyra, PA. The private pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot made a normal approach to runway 31, however the airspeed at touchdown was higher than normal, resulting in a bounce. The pilot added power to prevent a hard second touchdown. The pilot failed to maintain directional control during this prolonged second flare and the aircraft drifted over the grass area north of the runway. The pilot noticed that he had used up most of the available runway and still not touched down, so he initiated a late go-around. Pilot was not sure if he reduced flaps or opened the throttle first. The aircraft accelerated in ground effect towards a clump of trees located approximately 150 feet north of the runway centerline, abeam the runway 13 threshold. The pilot stated he did not think the aircraft could climb or turn without stalling and he made a shallow bank to avoid the trees, which was not successful. The outer 3 feet of the right wing contacted trees and spun the aircraft around as it fell to the ground. The aircraft remained upright and the pilot and passenger evacuated.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 2 AT APPROXIMATELY 14:00 LOCAL, N718CC, A CUBCRAFTER SPORT CUB WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER IMPACT WITH TREES AT THE REIGLE AIRPORT IN PALMYRA, PA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 31, HOWEVER THE AIRSPEED AT TOUCHDOWN WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL, RESULTING IN A BOUNCE. THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO PREVENT A HARD SECOND TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THIS PROLONGED SECOND FLARE AND THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED OVER THE GRASS AREA NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT NOTICED THAT HE HAD USED UP MOST OF THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY AND STILL NOT TOUCHED DOWN, SO HE INITIATED A LATE GO-AROUND. PILOT WAS NOT SURE IF HE REDUCED FLAPS OR OPENED THE THROTTLE FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED IN GROUND EFFECT TOWARDS A CLUMP OF TREES LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET NORTH OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE, ABEAM THE RUNWAY 13 THRESHOLD. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT THINK THE AIRCRAFT COULD CLIMB OR TURN WITHOUT STALLING AND HE MADE A SHALLOW BANK TO AVOID THE TREES, WHICH WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE OUTER 3 FEET OF THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED TREES AND SPUN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND AS IT FELL TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EVACUATED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.