What happened
Following a flight dedicated to parachute jumping, the pilot elected to land on an 1800-foot grass runway despite the availability of a 3000-foot paved asphalt strip. The decision was driven by a desire to minimize tire wear by avoiding the hard surface. Weather conditions at the time included light rain and calm winds, with the sod on the runway reported as wet. A powerline situated 30 feet above the approach end of the grass strip presented a significant obstacle.
The aircraft touched down approximately 200 feet from the approach end of the runway. However, due to the wet surface conditions and limited available distance, the pilot was unable to bring the aircraft to a stop within the confines of the grass strip. The plane continued its momentum off the end of the runway and collided with brush and trees.
The investigation
An analysis of the accident scene and flight dynamics revealed critical factors contributing to the outcome. The computed landing distance required to clear a 50-foot obstacle on a hard runway was approximately 1500 feet. This calculation highlights the margin of safety typically available on paved surfaces compared to the wet grass strip used in this incident.
Findings
The primary contributing factors included the pilot's decision to utilize a shorter, wet grass runway over a longer paved alternative and the subsequent inability to stop before encountering terrain obstacles. The presence of the powerline at the approach end further complicated the landing environment, although the collision occurred after the aircraft had already exited the runway surface.