NTSB Factual Report

On March 24, 2002, about 1650 central standard time, a Beech C-24R, N18891, registered to Delta Beech LLC, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in the vicinity of Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane incurred substantial damage, and the private-rated pilot and a passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Mobile, Alabama, about 20 minutes before the accident.

According to the pilot, his landing attempt on Roy E. Ray Airport's runway 18 resulted in a high flare and hard touchdown and bounce. He decided to execute a go-around, but did not retract flaps to a normal takeoff setting. He stated that the aircraft would not climb, simply stayed in ground effect, and drifted off the left side of the runway into a small stand of brush and trees. He and his passenger were not injured, and egressed the wrecked aircraft under their own power. The pilot stated there were no abnormalities or malfunctions of the aircraft.

According to an FAA inspector, the pilot-in-command allowed the aircraft to get too slow on approach, resulting in a hard landing. During the pilot's resultant go-around attempt, he lost control of the aircraft, drifted left, and impacted trees.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft directional control while executing a go-around, resulting in an inflight collision with trees.