MIA02LA077

While landing runway 25 at Gwinnett County-Briscoe Field, the pilot stated the aircraft, "was a little unstable", so he added power for a second touchdown attempt. Following his second touchdown, the tail of the aircraft skewed, "about 30 degrees [left] and shot on the grass". He added power, retracted flaps to 30 degrees, and pulled the main landing gear off the ground. He next heard tree branches impact the aircraft, and the aircraft impacted the terrain. The pilot stated no malfunctions or failures of the aircraft existed prior to the accident. The FAA inspector stated the aircraft did not have the airspeed or available power to successfully execute a go around in the configuration the aircraft wreckage was found.

On April 2, 2002, about 1600 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150L, N6613G, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while attempting a landing at Lawrenceville, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage, and the airline transport-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight departed Jefferson, Georgia, about 30 minutes before the accident.

According to the pilot, the aircraft had been modified to a tail wheel configuration. His landing roll-out on runway 25 at Gwinnett County-Briscoe Field was abandoned because a left crosswind caused the pilot to touch down right of centerline, and the airplane was a "little unstable". He added power, became airborne to realign with the centerline, and attempted a second flare and touchdown when his tail skewed left about 30 degrees off runway heading. The aircraft left the runway off the right edge into the grass. He immediately added power for a go around, retracted flaps to 30 degrees, and pitched the nose up to get the landing gear off the grass. He next heard tree branches hit the aircraft, the left wing dropped, and the aircraft impacted the terrain in a 15- to 20-foot deep ravine adjacent to and downwind of the runway. The pilot stated no mechanical malfunction or failure of the aircraft or its components existed prior to the crash. Reported surface winds at the airport at the time of the accident were from 170 degrees at 8 knots.

According to an FAA inspector, after the pilot lost control on his first landing touchdown and while attempting a second touchdown from the same approach, the aircraft veered about 45 degrees off runway 25 to the right, and onto a dirt/grass area. The aircraft next encountered a 12-foot deep ditch, became airborne, flew into the canopy of a small pine tree, and finally impacted the terrain in a 50-degree nose down attitude in a small wooded area in the ditch. He stated the aircraft did not have the airspeed or available power to successfully execute the go around in the configuration the pilot was using.