Accident Summary
On May 23, 2019, at approximately 1710 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, registration N1568J, struck a residential house during a go-around attempt at Aero Country Airport (T31) in McKinney, Texas. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries, while a child in the residence received minor injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The flight was operated by a private individual under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight departed T31 about 1610.
The pilot reported planning a 40-minute local flight and departing runway 17 without issues. Winds were from 160° to 165°. Upon return, she entered a left downwind for runway 17, selecting the first or second notch of flaps during the turn from base to final. The windsock still indicated wind from about 160°. She noted the descent was smooth and normal, but as the airplane was about to touch down, it was "pushed down hard to the surface and quickly sucked back up." She advanced the throttle for a go-around, and as the airplane gained altitude, it was hit by a gust of wind from the east. She reported that the heading changed from 170° to 290°, and she could not recover altitude or turn back south. The airplane impacted a storage facility and a house on the west side of the airport.
Witness Reports
Several witnesses observed the accident flight. One witness reported wind out of the south at about 25 knots and saw the airplane bounce twice before power was applied for a go-around. The witness described the airplane being "bounced around pretty good" as it slowly climbed then veered right, descending out of sight behind a hangar.
The pilot-rated passenger, after release from the hospital, could not remember any details of the flight.
Weather Information
At 1653, the automated weather station at McKinney National Airport (TKI), 8 miles east of T31, recorded wind from 140° at 11 knots, gusting to 23 knots. At 1651, the Addison Airport (ADS) station, 15 miles south of T31, recorded wind from 140° at 16 knots, gusting to 29 knots.
Aircraft Examination
The wreckage was recovered and examined by the National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, and technical representatives. The fuselage was cut aft of the cabin, and the wings and engine were separated for transport. Control continuity was limited due to impact damage, but connections were observed with no pre-impact discrepancies. The flap handle was found in the first notch position. The emergency locator transmitter was found in the "off" position.
The last annual inspection was completed on November 11, 2018, with an oil filter dated November 5, 2018, at 1,851.41 hours. The tachometer showed 1,857.06 hours at the time of examination.
The engine was examined: the two-bladed fixed-pitch propeller was impact-separated; thumb suction and compression were noted; valve train continuity was verified; no contaminants were found in the oil filter or carburetor; magnetos produced spark. No pre-impact abnormalities were identified with the engine or airframe.