No fatalities

8 Aug 2020: AVIAT A1 — Kernville, CA

Kernville, CA, United States

On 8 Aug 2020, an AVIAT A1 was involved in an aviation accident near Kernville, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during a go-around, which resulted in an impact with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel-equipped airplane struck a tree and was substantially damaged after the pilot lost sight of the airstrip during landing and initiated a go-around. The pilot could not outclimb treetops and the aircraft impacted ground inverted.

Accident Description

During the landing approach to a dirt airstrip, the pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane lost visual contact with the runway while on short final, just before initiating the landing flare. In response, the pilot commenced a go-around and executed a right turn. Shortly thereafter, the pilot realized that the airplane would not be able to climb above several nearby treetops. To avoid a stall or further conflict, the pilot lowered the nose attitude.

Impact and Damage

The right wing subsequently struck a tree, causing the airplane to impact the ground at a steep angle. The aircraft came to rest inverted. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage as a result of the impact.

Mechanical Status

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Altitude — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation