Incident Overview
The airplane collided with a tree while the pilot was executing an aborted landing during his second attempt to land on Runway 2. The pilot reported encountering turbulence while en route and during the approach.
Sequence of Events
Runway 2 was 3,475 feet long and 41 feet wide, surrounded by trees. The pilot estimated the wind at the airport from the east at approximately 10 knots. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the west of the runway centerline. The pilot applied right rudder but was unable to correct for the drift. He then added power to perform an aborted landing, but the airplane continued tracking west and impacted a tree.
According to recorded wind data from an airport located 19 nautical miles northwest of the accident airport, around the time of the incident, the wind was from 140 degrees at 8 knots.
Damage and Pilot Experience
The airplane sustained substantial damage: the horizontal stabilizer was damaged, and the rear empennage sheared off from the fuselage. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. He reported 169 hours of total flight experience, with 3 hours in the accident airplane.