Incident Overview
A pilot took off on a dark night for an airport at which he had never landed. During the flight, he became disoriented and contacted a flight service station for assistance. A military helicopter pilot rendezvoused with the lost pilot and provided vectors to the destination airport.
Approach and Landing
Power lines were located north of the airport. Most pilots familiar with the airport planned their approaches to stay inside the power lines. However, the pilot of N3563W approached over the lines, which necessitated a high pattern. Additionally, the pilot stated that after his en route experience, he forgot to lower the flaps. While landing, the aircraft floated and touched down approximately 500 to 700 feet from the departure end of the runway.
Runway Overrun
Witnesses heard the brakes squealing as the pilot continued off the runway. After departing the runway, the aircraft continued down a grade and into a gully, where it sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft Examination
An examination of the aircraft revealed no mechanical problems.