What happened
The pilot was operating an aircraft when attempting to land on a short gravel airstrip under challenging weather conditions characterized by strong tailwinds. The touchdown occurred near the center of the available runway surface. Upon impact, the aircraft bounced twice in succession.
Recognizing the difficulty of the situation, the pilot decided to abort the landing and applied full power to climb out. However, the aircraft stalled shortly after the power application. It mushed back onto the ground, lost directional control, and veered off the side of the runway. The aircraft then impacted a ditch located beside the strip and collided with a parked car.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of control during the landing phase. Key factors identified included the short length of the gravel airstrip and the adverse weather conditions. The strong tailwind significantly reduced the aircraft's ground speed margin, making the aborted landing particularly hazardous. The bounce upon touchdown likely contributed to the pilot's decision to execute a go-around at a low altitude and airspeed.
Findings
The primary contributing factors to this accident were the pilot's decision to land on a short gravel airstrip with strong tailwinds and the subsequent stall during the go-around maneuver. The combination of limited runway length, surface conditions, and weather created an environment where margin for error was minimal. The impact with the ditch and parked car resulted from the loss of control after the stall.
Safety message
Pilots should exercise extreme caution when landing on short, unpaved airstrips, especially when tailwinds are present. A go-around in such conditions requires sufficient altitude and airspeed to avoid a stall. Pilots must carefully evaluate weather reports and runway conditions before attempting a landing.