NTSB Factual Report

On March 21, 2014, about 1550 Pacific daylight time, a Columbia Aircraft MFG LC42-550FG, N112FP, sustained substantial damage during a go-around at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport (TRK), Truckee, California. The airplane was registered to Mouki Aviation LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from Palo Alto, California, about 1450, with an intended destination of TRK.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that as he neared TRK, he obtained the weather at TRK from the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), noting the wind was from 260 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern for runway 29, a 7,000-foot long and 100-foot wide asphalt runway. The pilot stated that he landed normally and about 8 to 10 seconds later, the airplane suddenly veered abruptly to the left towards uneven terrain. The pilot attempted to correct using rudder control, however, felt that the airplane was going to tip to the left and he decided to initiate a go-around. During the attempted go-around, the airplane exited the runway surface, bounced, and struck terrain between runway 29 and taxiway alpha. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest nose low.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the fuselage was structurally damaged. No evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would preclude normal operation was found.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during both the landing and the subsequent attempted go-around.