Summary
An airplane was involved in an accident during a go-around at night. The pilot reported that after crossing the approach end of the runway, he initiated a go-around because the airplane was "a little high." He visually confirmed that the mixture and propeller controls were full forward, smoothly applied full throttle, and pitched for a level flight attitude. The engine power momentarily increased but was quickly followed by abnormal noises and a loss of power. The pilot stated that the airplane was too far down the runway to land on the remaining pavement, so an off-airport forced landing was performed. The airplane came to rest along the extended runway centerline in a forested area, approximately 1,007 feet from the departure end of the runway.
Event Details
During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain. After the accident, investigators recovered 14 gallons of fuel from the left fuel tank and 8 gallons from the right fuel tank. The engine did not experience any hesitation, stumbling, or interruption in operation during an engine test run. The engine demonstrated the ability to produce rated horsepower.
Investigation
The investigation did not identify any mechanical issues with the engine that could explain the loss of power. The cause of the power loss was not determined from the available information.