Piper PA19 N6PF accident near Skwentna, Alaska

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of directional control during a go-around and his failure to assess the wind conditions appropriately before a landing attempt.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that during an approach to land at a remote airstrip, while on short final, the head wind changed to a tail wind and he began to lose control authority of the airplane. He initiated a go-around and applied full throttle, and the airplane rolled left. The pilot was unable to control the airplane due to the slow airspeed, and the airplane impacted a tree on the left side of the runway. The fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage and the passenger sustained serious injuries.

The pilot reported that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and that the accident could have been prevented had he taken more time to assess the weather conditions and ultimately decide not to land at the challenging airstrip.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC19TA037 for the full record.