Accident Overview
The accident occurred during a go-around when the airplane settled into brush and struck terrain. The pilot had previously completed several landings to his private dirt strip without incident.
Sequence of Events
On final approach with the flaps set to 20 degrees, the pilot observed that the airplane was higher than normal. The wheels touched down on soft dirt about 700 feet down the runway. Instead of applying heavy brake pressure, the pilot decided to abort the landing.
Without retracting the flaps, the pilot initiated a climb to approximately 100 feet and began a left turn. The airplane started to lose altitude, and the pilot continued the turn. After completing a 180-degree turn, he leveled the wings and lowered the nose in an attempt to regain airspeed. Despite these actions, the sink rate persisted, and the main landing gear subsequently contacted high brush.
Pilot Report
The pilot attributed the lack of climb capability to high density altitude, noting that the temperature was about 95 degrees Fahrenheit. He reported no mechanical issues with the airplane prior to the accident.