N8924T

On February 4, 2000, about 1050 central standard time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N8924T, registered to Waycross Aviation Sales, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while attempting a go-around near Fayette, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage, a fence and a roadside sign were damaged, and the private-rated pilot and three passengers were not injured. The flight departed the same airport about 15 minutes before the accident.

According to the pilot, he and three passengers departed runway 36 and circled the airport for about 10 minutes. The winds were from 280 degrees at 8 knots when he took off and were 280 at 6 knots when he re-entered the pattern for a landing on the same runway. At about the flare point, the airplane encountered a wind gust that displaced the airplane toward the right runway edge and weathercocked the fuselage counterclockwise, nose into the wind. He decided to conduct a go-around, but the airplane did not climb, and the route of flight went from near the right runway edge to off the left edge, between two hangars, and collision with a chain link fence, a utility pole, and a sign. The pilot added that most of his instruction was in the 180 hp Arrow with two occupants vs this 200 hp model with four occupants. He also mentioned he thought no mechanical malfunction was causal to the accident.