Sequence of Events
The pilot's first approach was reported to be 'too high and too fast' for a successful landing, prompting a go-around. During the go-around, a gear warning horn was audible on the tower recording. The pilot then flew a wide traffic pattern and turned onto final approach approximately 4 miles from the runway end.
Witness Observations
Multiple witnesses observed the airplane touch down, then bounce back up into the air, followed by a climbing right turn above the treetops. According to several witnesses, after what appeared to some as a 'touch and go' landing, the airplane executed a 'very steep climb,' reaching an altitude of 75 to 100 feet above the ground.
One pilot who witnessed the accident stated that he initially thought the airplane 'was a banner tow plane making a pick-up.' He described seeing the airplane in a nose-low attitude, and as it approached nearby trees, it pitched up again. The airplane continued to descend while maintaining a pitched-up attitude until the right wing dropped, and the aircraft descended into the trees in a right bank.
Loss of Airspeed
Most witnesses agreed that the airplane appeared to lose forward airspeed while in the steep climb. The combination of the bounce, steep climb, and subsequent descent into trees suggests a loss of airspeed during the climb phase.