What happened
A pilot was operating a Cessna 180 en route from Morgantown, WV, to Durrett Air Ranch near Harding, WV, to attend a Cessna 180 fly-in. Prior to arrival, the pilot circled the private airstrip to assess wind and runway conditions. The pilot also attempted to contact UNICOM for information regarding the active runway but received no response.
Upon deciding to land on Runway 30, the pilot was unaware that the 1,500-foot runway featured a steep downslope. During the landing roll, the aircraft traveled off the end of the runway and entered a ravine and a wooded area. The impact caused the aircraft to nose over. The pilot was not injured in the accident.
Findings
The pilot noted that the accident could have been avoided by performing a low pass over the runway to better inspect the surface or by initiating a go-around instead of hesitating during the landing roll.