NTSB Factual Report

On November 5, 2001, at 1500 central standard time, a Bellanca 7GCBC, N256J, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing near Hawley, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and not on a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, received minor injuries. The flight departed Detroit Lakes, Minnesota about 15 minutes before the accident.

The pilot stated "When I again touched down I was approx 30 angle to the runway, heading 310 looking directly at runway marker. I pushed throttle to full power (to fast) which caused the engine to spit and sputter. I was able to lift up enough to miss runway marker but was not gaining any more altitude. The terrain below was going down because of side hill, then came the trees which are on the neighbors prosperity north of strip, I didn't think I could bank to the left hard enough to miss the trees without having left wing touch the ground. So instead I banked some to the left to avoid direct fuselage hit to tree limbs. My right wing hit the tree, then I fell approx 30-40 feet straight into a small pond/swamp".

NTSB Probable Cause

the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control. A factor was the trees.