On February 17, 2005, an Aviat HUSKY A-1 (registration N22HU) was involved in an aviation accident near Kalispell, MT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree located off the departure end of his private airstrip during an aborted landing attempt. Factors include trees located near the departure end of the runway. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a landing attempt at his private airstrip, the pilot aborted after a high bounce and inadvertently collided with a pine tree while climbing, causing the aircraft to spin and fall.
Event Description
During a landing attempt at his private airstrip, the pilot allowed the aircraft to bounce high enough that he elected to abort the landing and perform a second approach. He added power and began to establish an initial climb. However, while climbing, the pilot inadvertently allowed the aircraft to come into contact with a pine tree located just off the departure end of the runway.
Aftermath
After contacting the tree, the aircraft spun around, dropped into another tree, and then slid to the ground. The pilot reported no indication of any malfunction of the engine or flight controls.