Overview
A pilot reported an incident during landing. While flaring, the aircraft began drifting to the right. The pilot's corrections were ineffective, and the drift continued toward a ditch. A go-around was initiated, but the aircraft failed to climb and settled onto the frozen ground. It then struck a small tree on the east side of the runway. The aircraft sustained damage in the event.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot's report, the aircraft was in the flare phase of landing when it unexpectedly started drifting to the right. The pilot attempted to counter the drift, but the aircraft continued moving rightward, approaching a ditch adjacent to the runway. Deciding to abort the landing, the pilot initiated a go-around. However, the aircraft did not achieve a positive climb rate; instead, it descended and settled onto the frozen ground. On the ground, the aircraft struck a small tree located on the east side of the runway, causing damage.
Weather Conditions
The pilot estimated the wind conditions as variable at 20 knots. For reference, at Dayton, approximately 30 miles northwest of the accident site, the wind was reported as 060 degrees true at 10 knots. No other weather information was provided.