Incident Summary
The airplane made a hard landing on a highway while executing a go-around from runway 28R. The pilot had received a preflight weather briefing and was informed that an IFR clearance into the destination airport was not possible due to the closure of the TRACON and airport ATCT, both threatened by a major forest fire. The pilot was advised that he might be able to enter VFR. He subsequently filed an IFR flight plan to an intersection near the destination airport. Upon arrival in the vicinity, he canceled the IFR clearance and proceeded visually to the airport.
Go-Around Sequence
After an attempted landing on runway 28R, the pilot applied power for a go-around. During the procedure, he retracted the flaps but left the landing gear extended and did not move the propeller control to the full forward position. While maneuvering during the go-around, the pilot turned the aircraft into a tailwind condition, resulting in an inability to maintain a climb. The airplane then descended and impacted a highway. A post-crash fire ensued, consuming the aircraft.
Pilot's Operating Handbook Guidance
According to the airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), the propeller control should be set to high rpm during landing. For a go-around, the POH specifies that the pilot should apply power, retract the flaps to the takeoff position (10 degrees), and then retract the landing gear and remaining flaps once the airplane accelerates to 91 mph (77 knots) indicated airspeed.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident inspection revealed that the propeller governor control arm was positioned 3/8-inch from the low pitch stop. A METAR issued at 1414 reported wind from 070 degrees at 6 knots, gusting to 14 knots. Examination of the engine found no discrepancies.