What happened
The incident occurred during a landing attempt on a grass runway measuring only 1,200 feet in length. The pilot chose to land with a significant tailwind ranging from 12 to 25 knots. Despite receiving current wind information in flight from a local airport control tower, the pilot elected to proceed with the downwind landing.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the available runway distance. It overran the end of the grass surface and continued forward, striking a fence before impacting a tree. The force of the collision caused the airplane to nose over.
The investigation
Investigation into the circumstances revealed that there was no known weather brief taken prior to departure. However, the pilot did obtain current wind data in flight from air traffic control. The decision to land with such a strong tailwind on a short, unpaved surface proved critical to the outcome of the event.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to this accident include the pilot's decision to land downwind with excessive tailwind components on a runway that was insufficient in length for safe stopping. The lack of a pre-flight weather briefing may have contributed to the underestimation of landing distance requirements. The physical constraints of the 1,200-foot grass strip provided no margin for error given the wind conditions.
Safety message
Pilots must carefully calculate landing distances based on actual wind conditions and runway surface. Landing downwind with a strong tailwind significantly increases ground speed and required stopping distance, which can easily exceed the capacity of short or soft runways.