Accident Narrative
During a GPS approach to his destination airport, the pilot of a Piper PA-32R-300 reported that he was unable to see the runway at the missed approach point. Shortly thereafter, the runway became visible, but by that time the pilot had already retracted the landing gear to execute a missed approach. He then decided to perform a circling approach to land. While maneuvering to line up with the runway, the pilot stated that he got too low, and the airplane struck trees. After the collision, the airplane came to rest on the porch roof of a residence.
Aircraft Damage
Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wings, fuselage, and empennage sustained substantial damage. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were discovered.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, the ceiling was reported as 300 feet above ground level.
Required Approach Minimums
The airport elevation was 14 feet above mean sea level. For the straight-in approach, the required ceiling was 440 feet mean sea level. For the circling approach, the required ceiling was 600 feet mean sea level.