Piper J3C N88025 accident near South Charleston, West Virginia

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control during the attempted go-around.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was conducting takeoffs and landings while remaining in the airport traffic pattern. On the third attempted landing to runway 33, he was "blinded" by the setting sun during the landing flare. The airplane touched down on its left main landing gear and "bounced high." The pilot then attempted a go-around, but stalled and impacted trees to the side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the engine firewall. Neither the pilot nor a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, reported any aircraft malfunctions or mechanical anomalies. The nearest weather reporting facility, located approximately 8 miles northeast of the accident location, reported winds from 030 degrees at 3 knots at the time of the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA09CA390 for the full record.