On July 12, 1997, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 601 (registration N7435S) was involved in an aviation accident near Boulder City, NV. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, his failure to obtain the current wind information, his selection of the wrong runway, and his delay in aborting landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot attempted to land on runway 33 with a tailwind, then executed a go-around, but after retracting gear and applying full power, the aircraft buffeted, leading to a runway contact.
Incident Overview
A pilot reported that he did not receive any airport-related weather information prior to attempting to land. He believed he had only a 10-knot tailwind when he initiated his landing attempt on runway 33, which he chose because it was uphill. During the approach, the pilot realized he would not be able to land successfully and elected to go-around.
Go-Around and Subsequent Actions
After retracting the landing gear and applying full power, the airframe began to buffet. The pilot then elected to set the aircraft on the runway rather than stall the aircraft.
Witness and UNICOM Accounts
The airport UNICOM operator reported that her first contact with the aircraft was after the accident, when the pilot called her by radio to ask for a radio check. Several witnesses reported that the winds were blowing between 30 and 40 mph from a southerly direction when the accident occurred. One party described the windsock as standing straight out.