What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
According to pilot's statement, on November, 19, 2020, pilot in command (PIC) flew from blue grass airport (lex) to georgetown-scott county regional airport (27K) and picked up two passengers. Purpose of the flight was to practice night landings. After departing from 27K, aircraft and occupants then flew to capital city airport (fft) for a night landing, then on to Cynthiana-Harrison County Airport (0I8) for another night landing. Aircraft was approximately 4 miles out from 0I8 and illuminated runway lighting with radio. Pilot pointed out runway at 10 o'clock and about 3 miles to both passengers. Noted winds at about 190 degrees and 20 knots. South of runway 11 by about 1/4 mile at pattern altitude, told passengers he was going to allow wind to blow plane into runway alignment, but if crosswind was too strong, he would make low approach and not land the plane. Ran through pre-landing checklist and because of the wind, decided on a zero flap landing. On half-mile final at 70 knots, noted PAPI indicated slightly low. Held right aileron to maintain runway heading and pushed left rudder pedal to see how much deflection he would need to maintain runway alignment. Pilot's left foot slipped on left rudder pedal then repositioned. Pilot estimated a loss of 20 feet in altitude in an inadvertent slip. Pilot noticed PAPI indicated all red and reached for the throttle to re-acquire the glide slope. Before pilot could apply throttle, saw the tops of trees at the same level as the top of the propeller and about 30 feet in front of the aircraft. At approximately 1843 (EST), the aircraft impacted trees on approach end of runway 11. The aircraft broke apart into 2 (two) main sections. The occupants received minor injuries and there was no post-accident fire or damage to airport property.
As the FAA filed it
ACCORDING TO PILOT'S STATEMENT, ON NOVEMBER, 19, 2020, PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) FLEW FROM BLUE GRASS AIRPORT (LEX) TO GEORGETOWN-SCOTT COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (27K) AND PICKED UP TWO PASSENGERS. PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PRACTICE NIGHT LANDINGS. AFTER DEPARTING FROM 27K, AIRCRAFT AND OCCUPANTS THEN FLEW TO CAPITAL CITY AIRPORT (FFT) FOR A NIGHT LANDING, THEN ON TO CYNTHIANA-HARRISON COUNTY AIRPORT (0I8) FOR ANOTHER NIGHT LANDING. AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES OUT FROM 0I8 AND ILLUMINATED RUNWAY LIGHTING WITH RADIO. PILOT POINTED OUT RUNWAY AT 10 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 3 MILES TO BOTH PASSENGERS. NOTED WINDS AT ABOUT 190 DEGREES AND 20 KNOTS. SOUTH OF RUNWAY 11 BY ABOUT 1/4 MILE AT PATTERN ALTITUDE, TOLD PASSENGERS HE WAS GOING TO ALLOW WIND TO BLOW PLANE INTO RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, BUT IF CROSSWIND WAS TOO STRONG, HE WOULD MAKE LOW APPROACH AND NOT LAND THE PLANE. RAN THROUGH PRE-LANDING CHECKLIST AND BECAUSE OF THE WIND, DECIDED ON A ZERO FLAP LANDING. ON HALF-MILE FINAL AT 70 KNOTS, NOTED PAPI INDICATED SLIGHTLY LOW. HELD RIGHT AILERON TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY HEADING AND PUSHED LEFT RUDDER PEDAL TO SEE HOW MUCH DEFLECTION HE WOULD NEED TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. PILOT'S LEFT FOOT SLIPPED ON LEFT RUDDER PEDAL THEN REPOSITIONED. PILOT ESTIMATED A LOSS OF 20 FEET IN ALTITUDE IN AN INADVERTENT SLIP. PILOT NOTICED PAPI INDICATED ALL RED AND REACHED FOR THE THROTTLE TO RE-ACQUIRE THE GLIDE SLOPE. BEFORE PILOT COULD APPLY THROTTLE, SAW THE TOPS OF TREES AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE TOP OF THE PROPELLER AND ABOUT 30 FEET IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1843 (EST), THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES ON APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 11. THE AIRCRAFT BROKE APART INTO 2 (TWO) MAIN SECTIONS. THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THERE WAS NO POST-ACCIDENT FIRE OR DAMAGE TO AIRPORT PROPERTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.