N4394S

On August 21, 1999, about 1930 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt airplane model CH-701, N4394S, registered to a private individual, collided with trees during a go-around from an attempted landing at the Bear Creek Airport, Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight originated about 30 minutes earlier from the Bear Creek Airport.

The pilot stated that after spending 5 years to build the airplane, it was inspected by the FAA 4 days earlier and was signed off for 40 hours test phase. He had flown the airplane two previous times that day, each for 30 minutes. The accident flight departed, then returned to the airport and he stated that he was landing using runway 21 for the first time. He was on a long, low, final approach, and the airplane bounced twice then headed towards a corn field. He applied full power to go-around but the airplane collided with the tops of trees adjacent to the field, then the ground.

A witness reported seeing the airplane on a low approach and believed the airplane was going to be short of the threshold by about 50 yards. He heard power applied and noted that the airplane cleared a dirt road near the approach end of the runway. He then heard power decreased and the airplane nosed over. The nose landing gear then contacted and the airplane bounced 10 feet in the air. He heard power applied then reduced and the airplane bounced again. He then heard power applied and observed the airplane turn to the left toward trees and pitch up to about 30 degrees. The airplane then contacted the tree tops with the bottom of the fuselage.

Examination of the accident site by an FAA inspector revealed that the airplane collided with trees approximately 100-150 yards south of the southern edge of runway 21.