Gualala Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gualala, California 95445
Wednesday, August 7, 2002 19:30 PDT

The airplane contacted bushes and rising terrain during an attempted go-around. The pilot said that although he was familiar with his airplane, he had never landed on an actual short field runway. The airport's runway 31 is 2,500 feet long, with a 300-foot displaced threshold, and trees are present in the approach path. The pilot stated that he flew over the airport two times and became "apprehensive" about landing there. He followed the specified right-hand traffic pattern and utilized a short field approach procedure, with the wing flaps fully extended and the approach speed at 65 knots. The pilot further indicated that on short final approach, the airplane's nose was high, and his visibility of the runway was therefore limited. The setting sun was about 30 degrees left of the airplane's nose. The pilot stated that he did not recall if the airplane touched down but was certain he entered ground effect. The airplane drifted over the left side of the runway. Rather than attempting to redirect the airplane's course, the pilot applied full engine power to go around. Seconds thereafter, as the engine power increased, the airplane impacted rising terrain and bushes. The pilot wrote in his statement that he realized he should have initiated the go-around sooner. The pilot did not indicate having experienced any mechanical malfunction with his airplane. The airport manager reported that the airplane came to rest after impacting bushes and terrain about 100 feet west of the runway's left edge and about 300 feet northwest of the runway's departure end.

The pilot's delayed decision in executing a go-around. Contributing factors were the pilot's limited experience landing on short fields and the rising terrain.