Accident Sequence
The pilot made a normal approach for landing on a grass strip. After clearing trees on final, he slowed the airplane to 75 miles per hour (mph). He then added power to slow the descent. The airplane touched down near the beginning of the 2,000-foot runway; the pilot estimated he had 1,800 feet of runway remaining after touchdown. After the initial touchdown, the airplane bounced into the air, landed, and bounced back into the air again.
At that point, the pilot was at his "normal spot for a go/no-go decision for a go-around." As he added power to go around, the airplane touched down for a third time. The pilot believed he had 1,400 feet of runway remaining. He tried to hold the airplane in ground effect until it could accelerate. The pilot was not able to maintain altitude, and the airplane touched down on the runway again with 700 feet of runway remaining. The pilot stated that at that point his options were limited to hitting a fence or the trees at the end of the runway.
The airplane became airborne after the final bounce. The pilot turned the airplane to the left toward a valley with "no way out." He realized he had to pick a spot to put the airplane down, so he turned to the right toward an upsloping hill with trees. The pilot reduced the power and placed the airplane in a nose-high attitude prior to colliding with a tall oak tree.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. He stated he has had over 20 years of flying experience in a Cessna and was very familiar with the runway. He had also completed extensive training in the accident airplane at the accident airport. The pilot identified several different factors in the accident flight that allowed the airplane to not reach an airspeed suitable for a go-around: passenger weight, multiple touchdowns, and the upslope of the runway.