On September 11, 1982, a Beech C23 (registration N4357W) operated by James W. Pynchon was involved in an aviation accident near Bear Valley, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to achieve adequate climb performance during a go-around, which resulted in the aircraft colliding with trees. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot landed long and fast on runway 19 with crosswinds, then attempted a go-around at 65 knots. The aircraft failed to clear small trees, resulting in a crash and fire. The pilot sustained serious burns but survived by jumping into a nearby stream.
What happened
The pilot was operating an aircraft on approach to runway 19 when weather conditions included a north wind of 15-20 knots. The landing was executed with excessive distance and speed, resulting in the aircraft touching down long and fast on the runway surface.
While the aircraft was still rolling at a groundspeed of approximately 65 knots, the pilot initiated a go-around maneuver. However, the climb performance was insufficient to clear nearby vegetation. The aircraft collided with small trees during the initial ascent phase.
Following the impact, the aircraft crashed and caught fire. The pilot sustained serious burns in the incident but managed to survive by jumping into a nearby stream immediately after the crash.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to achieve adequate climb performance during a go-around, which resulted in the aircraft colliding with trees.