Incident Overview
A pilot flying a low-horsepower airplane attempted to land at a wilderness ranch airstrip measuring 800 feet in length. The pilot described the strip as a one-way landing area with no go-around option for an aircraft with only 145 horsepower.
Sequence of Events
During the final approach, the pilot observed two children chasing a horse across the runway from left to right. Subsequently, an adult male approached from the right side of the strip and threw his hands up in front of the horse, causing the animal to stop on the landing surface.
Go-Around Attempt
With people on both sides of the strip and the horse standing on the runway, the pilot decided to abort the landing and initiate a go-around. He was aware that the aircraft could not climb out over the trees and canyon at the end of the airstrip.
Stall and Landing
Approximately 60 feet above ground level, the airplane stalled. The pilot reported that the aircraft then came down almost flat onto a pile of large rocks. No mechanical failure or malfunction was involved in the incident.