GAA17CA517

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that after a local flight, during touchdown, the airplane veered to the left, and he applied full power to go around. He added that, the airplane became airborne, drifted to the left over brush, and then started to sink because the airplane "did not have enough airspeed to maintain flight." Subsequently, the airplane settled into the brush about 50 ft. left of the runway, where the left wing struck the ground and the airplane spun 180° to a stop. The left wing and aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot did not report that there were any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, about the time of the accident, 23 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, reported wind from 320° at 12 knots, gusting 15 knots, temperature 100° F (38° C), dewpoint 41° F (5° C), and barometric setting of 30.15" Hg. The calculated density altitude was 8,352 ft. According to the Federal Aviation Administration density altitude Koch Chart, the airplane would had likely experienced a 72% decrease to the normal climb rate. The pilot reported that, after a local flight, during touchdown, the airplane veered to the left, and he applied full power to go around. He added that the airplane became airborne, drifted to the left over brush, and then started to sink because the airplane "did not have enough airspeed to maintain flight." Subsequently, the airplane settled into the brush about 50 ft left of the runway. The left wing struck the ground, and the airplane spun 180° to a stop. The left wing and aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station 23 nautical miles southwest of the accident site reported, about the time of the accident, wind from 320° at 12 knots, gusting to 15 knots, temperature 100°F (38°C), dewpoint 41°F (5°C), and barometric setting of 30.15 inches of mercury. The calculated density altitude was 8,352 ft. According to the Federal Aviation Administration density altitude Koch Chart, the airplane would likely have experienced a 72% decrease in the normal climb rate. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Climb rate-Not attained/maintained
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-High density altitude-Effect on equipment