Cessna 172M N32SF accident near Statesville, North Carolina

Probable cause

The certified flight instructor's inadequate remedial action during the go-around, which resulted in a collision with trees.

NTSB analysis

The certified flight instructor stated that during an instructional flight he and his student departed a private grass strip on runway 22. They climbed to 800 feet and turned left toward the airport in order to simulate an engine out emergency. The instructor reduced the power and the student pilot turned back towards the grass strip to land on runway 4. During the final approach to landing, the airplane encountered a tailwind and, in an attempt to go-around, the airplane collided with trees at the end of the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and wings. The pilots reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. The nearest airport’s weather observation system reported that the wind at the time of the accident was from 210 degrees at 6 knots.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA205 for the full record.