ERA12CA078

During the attempted landing, the airplane "floated some" and touched down on the 2,500-foot turf runway near the midpoint with insufficient distance remaining to stop. The pilot then increased engine power and aborted the landing but felt that the engine was not producing full power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane in an attempt to avoid trees beyond the departure end of the runway, but the airplane struck the trees in a level attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. A witness reported observing the airplane intermittently during the attempted landing and said that, when he first saw the airplane, it had traveled a significant distance down the runway. He then heard the airplane's engine power increase, watched as it climbed in a shallow right turn, and realized that the airplane would not be able to clear the 25-foot tall trees beyond the end of the runway. Both the witness and a weather reporting station 7 nautical miles from the accident site reported that an approximate 6-knot tailwind prevailed about the time of the accident. Examination of the airframe and engine found no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.

The pilot intended to practice takeoffs and landings at several local airports, and entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 04, the 2,500-foot long, turf runway. During the attempted landing, the airplane "floated some" and touched down near the runway midpoint with insufficient distance remaining to stop. The pilot then increased engine power and aborted the landing, but felt that the engine was not producing full power. The pilot maneuvered the airplane in an attempt to avoid trees beyond the departure end of the runway, but subsequently struck the trees in a level attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. A witness reported intermittently observing the airplane during the attempted landing, and when he first saw the airplane, it had traveled a significant distance down the runway. He then heard the airplane's engine power increase, watched as it climbed in a shallow right hand turn, and realized that the airplane would not be able to clear the 25-foot tall trees beyond the end of the runway. The witness and a weather reporting station located 7 nautical miles from the accident site reported that an approximate 6-knot tailwind prevailed about the time of the accident. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined the airframe and engine following the accident, and found no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures.