NTSB Factual Report

The 275-hour private pilot, who reported having accumulated a total of 2.5 hours in the same make and model, reported that while practicing takeoff and landings on runway 33, he determined that he was too high on the approach and initiated a go-around. The pilot concluded that his 80-horsepower homebuilt airplane was not going to be able to clear the trees at the departure end of the 2,463-foot long, by 150-foot wide turf runway, so he turned the airplane 45-degrees to the left to avoid the trees. The pilot added that while maneuvering, the airplane stalled and collided with trees located about 100 yards west of the runway 33. The airplane came to rest in the inverted position at the base of the trees, resulting in structural damage to the wings and the fuselage. The canopy was also damaged. There was no fire. The pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was able to egress the airplane without injury. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that responded to the accident site noted that runway 15/33 is not annotated on the airport diagram thus there was no information about the obstructions present at either end of the runway. The weather reported at a nearby airport at the time of the accident was wind from 060 degrees at 3 knots, clear skies, and 10 miles visibility.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed that resulted in a stall/mush. A contributing factor was the group of trees located near the departure end of the runway.