MIA00LA040

Statements by both the student pilot and a private pilot-rated passenger reveal that, although the airstrip's wind sock indicated light surface winds, on final approach, the airplane's ground speed appeared excessive and on landing flare, the airplane floated or 'ballooned' for an excessive distance. The student pilot performed a go-around, and collided with trees and a utility pole. The student pilot stated he experienced no mechanical difficulties with the airplane. Federal Air Regulations Part 61.89, paragraph (a), states that , 'A student pilot may not act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying a passenger.'

On December 4, 1999, about 1130 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N3848K, registered to Carolina Petroleum Equipment, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while attempting a go-around at Sky Valley Airpark, Pelzer, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the student pilot and a private pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from McCormick, South Carolina, about 45 minutes before the accident.

According to the student pilot's statement, he performed a fly-by of the airstrip for the purpose of viewing the windsock, and he stated that the "flag was limp". He then entered a left downwind for a full-stop landing to runway 05 and on final approach he held a steady 75 miles per hour. As he overflew the runway threshhold, the ground speed appeared to be fast and the flare extended longer than what he remembered occurring during the previous 8 to 10 times that he had landed on that runway. When it appeared that he might use up too much runway to get stopped, he attempted a go-around, but collided with trees and a utility pole. The student pilot indicated there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions of any type, and that, somehow, the surface winds at the airstrip must have picked up between the time he observed the windsock and his touchdown. The winds reported by Greenville Downtown Airport, 17 miles northeast, for 1053 were from 250 degrees at 10 knots.

According to FAA personnel, the airplane landed long and bounced twice before the student pilot decided to perform a go-around. During the go-around attempt, the airplane collided with trees, a utility pole and wires, skidded across a perimeter road, and came to rest against a barbed wire fence.

Federal Air Regulations Part 61.89, paragraph (a), states that, "A student pilot may not act as a pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying a passenger."