Incident Overview
A pilot reported that his approach and landing speed was too fast, causing the airplane to bounce upon touchdown. When the airplane touched down a second time, the left main landing gear struck a small pile of sand and sticks. In an attempt to regain directional control, the pilot added full power.
Go-Around Attempt
The pilot stated that after adding power, he had insufficient room in which to stop the airplane. Therefore, he attempted to accelerate and climb out. During the climb, the airplane's main landing gear struck brush located 75 feet past the departure end of the landing/takeoff area.
Final Position
Following the impact with the brush, the airplane nosed over into the Mulchatna River. The sequence of events resulted in the aircraft coming to rest in the river.
Reported Factors
According to the pilot, the initiating factors were an excessive approach and landing speed, which led to the bounce and subsequent loss of directional control. The pilot's decision to execute a go-around after striking sand and sticks occurred in an area with limited stopping distance, ultimately resulting in the collision with brush and the nose-over into the river.