Incident Overview
A pilot flying a Grumman AA-5 encountered gusty wind conditions while attempting to land. The approach was conducted with a crab and with the right wing down into the wind. During the landing flare, a strong gust of wind pushed the right wing toward the ground as the main gear touched down in a nose-up attitude. The airplane then became airborne.
Go-Around Attempt
After becoming airborne, the pilot decided to initiate a go-around and applied full power. As the airplane gained altitude, another gust of wind induced a roll to the right. The pilot responded by applying full aileron and rudder authority to level the wings. Once level, the pilot observed that the airplane was heading toward trees that it would not be able to clear.
Descent and Impact
To avoid the trees, the pilot pulled the throttle to idle and flared the airplane into a stall. The airplane subsequently descended into the trees.
Weather Conditions
The wind at the time of the accident was reported as 40 degrees to the right of the airplane's nose at 12 knots, with gusts to 20 knots.