The Taylorcraft BC12 was on final approach to the airport in Buffalo, New York, in a left crosswind.
A witness, who was also president of the airport flying club, was mowing grass adjacent to the runway and saw the accident. He told investigators that the airplane approached the runway low and was “crabbing hard” to the left. The pilot then initiated a go-around.
The engine noise increased, but the airplane attempted a go-around at a 90° left angle to the runway.
The plane cleared trees, experienced a “power on stall,” and descended nose first into a grove.
The pilot reported that he was seriously injured in the accident and did not remember anything after being 25 feet over the runway on approach.
Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during initial climb after a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin at low altitude.
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This September 2022 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.
Back in 1972 a friend of mine was doing touch and goes at Fisher Island airport off Long Island. On one touch and go he was climbing out and experienced a power on stall. Unfortunately, it resulted in the tragic loss of his life.
As a non-pilot myself I always wondered if there is any added risk in doing these climbouts.
Appears to be similar circumstances to a couple of accidents near me where the go-around was initiated extremely close to or after contact with the runway. Both of these accidents also resulted in the airplane then tracking near 90° to the left. Statistically go-arounds do have a relatively significant accident rate and initiating a go-around near or from the runway surface is really more like a takeoff than just a simple transition to a climb. The chance of a stall is far higher. The question is how should training for go-arounds be accomplished. Just guessing, but probably in most cases it is done with the airplane well above the runway and still stabilized at its approach speed. However the training should also include the go-around initiated from points near or on the runway where the attitude and restoration of energy have to be very carefully managed.