History of the Flight
The pilot departed North Coates Airfield's unlicensed grass runway (oriented 07/23) with a westerly wind of about 20 kt. After a local flight of about one hour, he returned to find the wind had shifted to a northerly direction across the runway, estimated between 25 and 30 kt. He initially positioned for Runway 23 but abandoned the approach due to high crosswinds and turbulence. Having previously landed on a shorter grass area adjacent to the threshold of Runway 23, he informed the air/ground radio operator of his intention to land there in a northerly direction, into wind.
Accident Sequence
The approach appeared normal, but shortly before touchdown the pilot abandoned the landing and applied full power. As the aircraft climbed to about 80 ft, level with the tops of nearby trees, the pilot began a progressive right turn. The aircraft rolled rapidly to approximately 90° right wing down. The pilot applied full left rudder and full left aft stick, but the aircraft did not respond. The right wingtip struck the ground, and the aircraft cartwheeled before coming to a stop.
Injuries and Damage
Both the pilot and passenger were wearing four-point harnesses and vacated the aircraft unaided. Both sustained whiplash injuries to the neck; the pilot also suffered a broken left ankle. The aircraft was destroyed.
Pilot's Assessment
The pilot considered that the cause of the accident was the aircraft entering turbulent air near the top of the tree line during the go-around. The Pilot's Operating Handbook specifies maximum crosswind components of 16 kt to 13 kt for flap settings of -6° to 15°, and 13 kt to 11 kt for flap settings of 15° to 40°. It also states: 'In gusty wind or wind speeds greater than 21 kt (24 mph) flight operations should be stopped.'