The pilot of the Luscombe reported that, during landing at the airport in Casa Grande, Arizona, the airplane yawed to the left as soon as the main landing gear touched down.
He tried to correct with right rudder and applied full power for a go-around. During the go-around, the plane seemed to continue to yaw to the left, with the pilot correcting with full right rudder. The airplane continued to drift left, aerodynamically stalled, and then hit the ground.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot was seriously injured in the crash.
The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain yaw control and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during an aborted landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
This January 2019 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Crosswind? Mechanical problem? Not enough information.