Cessna 172S N1089D accident near Martinsville, Virginia

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper pitch control during a go-around in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a tail strike and a runway excursion.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that during a visual approach to land in gusting crosswind conditions, while on “short final”, the airplane was high and full flaps were added. The airplane continued to be “high and slow on the round out” so he initiated a go-around maneuver. During the go-around, the pilot applied full power, however the airplane continued to sink and slow which resulted in a tail strike and runway excursion to the left off the runway into the grass. The fuselage and engine mount sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21LA202 for the full record.