Accident Details
A cross-country flight encountered difficulties when the pilot, who held only a student pilot certificate and was not endorsed for solo cross-country operations, landed at Stephenville, Texas, intending to purchase fuel. Unable to obtain fuel there, the pilot proceeded to Granbury, Texas, to refuel before continuing to the intended destination of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Witness Account
A witness at the Granbury airport reported hearing the aircraft and observing it porpoising down the last third of the runway at high speed. The witness stated that the pilot locked the brakes approximately 500 feet from the end of the runway. The aircraft continued off the runway end and collided with the opposite side of a wide ditch, sustaining substantial damage.
Wind Conditions
The witness estimated the wind as from the northwest at 25 knots, gusting to 30 knots. No official weather data from the source is available.
Pilot Information
The pilot had been flying for many years but held only a student pilot certificate. The source notes that the pilot was not endorsed for solo cross-country flight.
Damage
The aircraft was substantially damaged due to the collision with the ditch.
Conclusion
The source does not provide a probable cause for the accident.