Accident
On February 27, 2011, at approximately 1630 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172N, registration N739NY, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees and terrain following an aborted landing on runway 09 at Welch Municipal Airport (I25), Welch, West Virginia. The non-certificated pilot and the passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Witness Account
A witness, the pilot's brother, stated that the airplane was performing traffic patterns at the airport before the accident. He reported that the airplane was "too fast" on approach to the elevated runway, prompting the landing to be aborted. During the climb-out, the airplane was "too slow," struck trees at the departure end of the runway, and then descended "a few hundred feet" into tall trees in the valley below.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot, whose student pilot certificate was expired, refused to provide a statement to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded and did not respond to subsequent telephone calls or letters from the Safety Board and the FAA. According to FAA records, the airplane was registered to an individual in Georgia but had been purchased by the pilot approximately one week before the accident. The most recent annual inspection was performed on June 1, 2010, at 5,572 total aircraft hours.
Examination and Weather
An examination of the airplane at the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed scattered pieces of angularly cut wood and no evidence of pre-impact mechanical anomalies. At 1642, weather reported at Bluefield, West Virginia, approximately 20 miles southeast of I25, included wind from 230 degrees at 9 knots. The Welch Municipal Airport had been closed on March 15, 2007, with its status posted in Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) and runways marked closed. City officials reported that the pilot had operated aircraft from the airport since its closure and continued to do so after the accident.