What happened
The flight departed from Groton, Connecticut, with its destination set for Willimantic, Connecticut. Conditions during the initial phase of the journey included unlimited visibility. However, upon approaching Windham Airport, weather conditions deteriorated significantly. According to the pilot's account, the runway was partially obscured by patchy fog.
To mitigate the risk associated with the reduced visibility and potential need for a missed approach, the pilot elected to carry additional airspeed during the final approach. This decision resulted in the aircraft touching down well beyond the intended touchdown zone. The aircraft continued rolling past the end of the runway. It then descended an embankment before finally coming to rest.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the landing at Windham Airport. Key factors identified included the presence of patchy fog obscuring the runway and the pilot's decision to land long by carrying extra speed for a go-around contingency. The aircraft sustained damage consistent with leaving the paved surface and descending an embankment.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was the long landing caused by excessive airspeed. This was compounded by patchy fog reducing visibility of the runway environment. The pilot's strategy to ensure a safe go-around capability inadvertently led to overrunning the available runway distance.