On June 29, 1989, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N23687) was involved in an aviation accident near Julian, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during landing in downwind conditions, resulting in an overrun and subsequent nosing over after veering off the runway into soft terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot landing in downwind conditions overshot the runway threshold on a short airstrip, veered off the right side, and nosed over after the nose gear sank into soft ground.
What happened
The pilot was conducting a landing approach to the southeast when he encountered downwind wind conditions estimated at 12 to 15 knots from the west. The pilot estimated that his airspeed was approximately 20 knots higher than normal for the final approach. Consequently, the aircraft touched down beyond the halfway point of the 2500-foot airstrip.
Recognizing that a go-around was no longer possible, the pilot attempted to veer the aircraft off the right side of the runway. The nose gear sank into soft terrain adjacent to the pavement, causing the aircraft to nosed over.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the landing and the subsequent ground contact. Examination of the site confirmed that the aircraft departed the paved surface on the right side after overshooting the usable runway length. The nose gear was found collapsed into the soft ground, consistent with the pilot's account of the nosing-over event.
Findings
Contributing factors to this accident included:
Downwind landing conditions with winds estimated at 12 to 15 knots from the west.
Excessive airspeed during the final approach, estimated at approximately 20 knots above normal.
Runway excursion due to insufficient remaining runway distance for a safe stop.
Soft terrain off the right side of the runway which caused the nose gear to sink and the aircraft to nosed over.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during landing in downwind conditions, resulting in an overrun and subsequent nosing over after veering off the runway into soft terrain.