Accident Details
The accident occurred during night operations. An airplane, westbound on departure from Runway 28, struck a 50-foot-high tree located 1,200 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. There were no known witnesses to the accident.
Sequence of Events
Earlier, another pilot was attempting to land on Runway 28. She was unsuccessful on two attempts, which she attributed to a tailwind. She then successfully landed on Runway 10 on her first attempt. After her second unsuccessful landing attempt on Runway 28, she observed another airplane also conducting a go-around following an unsuccessful landing attempt on Runway 28. She radioed that pilot to advise him to use Runway 10. The pilot responded with an unclear transmission that abruptly ended.
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed that the accident pilot had previously conducted night flight at this airport on four occasions. His total night flight time was four hours. The investigation did not reveal any evidence of mechanical malfunction. The airplane's flaps were found extended to five degrees. According to Cessna, during a go-around, flaps should be reduced to 10 degrees until obstacles have been cleared.