Incident Overview
A Schweizer aircraft, registered as N33920, was destroyed after colliding with a utility pole during a go-around at Preble Airport in New York. The pilot and one passenger received minor injuries.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that the first two flights of the day were uneventful. However, during the subsequent flight, the pilot noticed that the stall speed was higher than usual, and the aircraft seemed to enter a stall at a higher speed than recommended in the aircraft manual. Applying the spoilers did not correct the airspeed. The pilot stated that they might have been pulling the trim tab control instead of the spoilers.
Sequence of Events
During the landing attempt, the aircraft bounced. On the pull-up, the left wing tip struck a utility pole. The aircraft subsequently landed in trees and then slid flatly to the ground.