Landing Attempt
On the third landing attempt of the day, the pilot of an amateur-built Vans RV-8 touched down in a tail-low attitude near the displaced runway threshold. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane began to veer left and right.
Go-Around and Maneuvers
In response to the veering, the pilot applied power and initiated a go-around, climbing to an altitude between 30 and 50 feet. The airplane then rolled and turned left, overflying the left edge of the runway and a parallel taxiway. The turn continued past a heading perpendicular to the runway centerline. The airplane maintained an approximate 30-degree bank as it continued the left turn and began to descend toward a low wetland area adjacent to the runway.
Collision with Terrain
The aircraft struck the ground left wingtip first. The left wing and left main landing gear separated from the airframe during the impact. The airplane then cartwheeled counterclockwise before coming to rest upright on the right main landing gear and forward fuselage.
Previous Incident
Approximately one year prior to this accident, the same pilot experienced a loss of control while practicing landings in a different RV-8. During that incident, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and struck a taxiway light.