What happened
The aircraft departed from the end of the runway and subsequently collided with trees while attempting to land. The accident occurred at an airport where the density altitude was recorded at 8,800 feet at the time of the event. The landing was conducted on Runway 19 under light wind conditions, with the wind direction reported as 270 degrees at 3 knots.
The aircraft touched down approximately 2,500 feet down a runway that was 5,000 feet in total length. An FAA inspector later examined the scene and observed skid marks originating from both tires. These marks began roughly 650 feet from the end of the runway, indicating significant braking or drag after initial contact with the pavement.
The investigation
Examination of the pilot's experience revealed limited familiarity with the specific aircraft type. The pilot had accumulated only 3.4 hours of total time in this make and model. Of that total, just one hour was spent during a checkout ride, leaving 2.4 hours dedicated to cross-country flight. This low time-in-type likely contributed to the inability to manage the landing performance within the available runway distance given the high density altitude.
Findings
The primary factors leading to the accident included the high density altitude, which degraded aircraft performance and increased ground roll requirements. The pilot's limited experience in the specific aircraft type further compounded the difficulty of executing a safe landing at this elevation. fuel exhaustion is not cited; rather, the loss of control resulted from the overrun.
Safety message
Pilots operating at high-elevation airports must carefully calculate performance limitations due to density altitude. Adequate time in type and realistic assessment of runway length requirements are critical for safe operations in thin air conditions.