Accident Details
The pilot reported that during an unsupervised local solo flight, he decided to land at a private airstrip. According to the pilot, he had driven his automobile on the runway four days prior to the accident and found the landing surface clear, leading him to assume that the runway would be clear on the day of the accident. The pilot stated that he did not pay attention to runway surface hazards during the traffic pattern approach and subsequent landing, but instead concentrated on power lines and other runway environment features.
Circumstances
During the landing roll, the aircraft struck an irrigation pipe that had been placed across the runway by the property owner the night before the accident. The pilot's assumption that the runway would be clear was based solely on his prior visit, and he did not verify the condition of the runway before landing.
Contributing Factors
Aircraft performance calculations indicated that a high density altitude condition existed at the time of the accident. No other contributing factors were identified in the source.