What happened
The pilot of Cessna 172 N758KU was conducting an approach to a privately owned grass runway located approximately six miles east of Waco, Texas. The airfield featured a single runway designated 05/23, measuring 3,180 feet in length and 100 feet in width. Notably, the runway had an approximate 300-foot displaced threshold at its eastern end.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft failed to stop within the available pavement and over-shot the approach. It continued past the departure end of the runway, leaving the paved or graded surface and entering a nearby bar ditch. The impact with the ditch resulted in substantial damage to the airframe.
The investigation
Investigation of the accident scene confirmed that the aircraft had indeed overrun the runway limits. The physical evidence indicated that the plane traveled beyond the end of the 3,180-foot strip before coming to rest in the drainage ditch. No mechanical failures or pre-accident anomalies were reported by the pilot prior to the event.
Findings
Weather conditions at the time of the accident, observed at Waco approximately six miles from the site, included wind variable from 300 degrees at 8 knots. While the wind was relatively light, the variability could have presented minor control challenges during the final approach phase. The primary factor in the outcome was the aircraft's inability to stop on the available runway length, leading to the overrun.
Safety message
Pilots operating into airports with displaced thresholds or shorter runways must carefully calculate landing distances required, accounting for wind conditions and runway surface type. Ensuring adequate margin for error during the final approach is critical to preventing overruns, particularly at smaller, privately owned airfields.