On August 1, 1992, a Bellanca 7ECA (registration N53852) operated by Harold A. Van Fossan was involved in an aviation accident near East Liverpool, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A gust of wind caused the airplane to drop to the runway from 10 feet during landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing, a gust of wind caused the airplane to drop to the runway from 10 feet. It bounced, and during a go-around, it drifted left and struck trees 60 feet left of the runway at 30-40 feet above ground.
Incident Overview
An airplane experienced a hard landing and subsequent collision with trees during a go-around after a gust of wind disrupted the landing approach. The pilot was conducting a landing when a sudden gust of wind caused the airplane to drop to the runway from a height of approximately 10 feet. The impact resulted in the airplane bouncing back into the air. At that point, the aircraft was oriented toward trees located on the left side of the runway.
Go-Around and Impact
In response to the bounce and the airplane heading toward the trees, the pilot applied power and initiated a go-around. The pilot reported that he attempted to turn the airplane to the right. Despite this input, the airplane continued to drift leftward. The aircraft subsequently struck trees that were situated 60 feet to the left of the runway edge. The collision occurred at a height estimated to be between 30 and 40 feet above the ground.
Pilot Actions
The pilot's actions included adding power for the go-around and attempting to turn right. The airplane's drift left was not corrected, leading to the impact with the trees.
Probable cause
A gust of wind caused the airplane to drop to the runway from 10 feet during landing.