What happened
The flight was conducted at an uncontrolled airport where the pilot initiated a final approach for landing. Before commencing the landing sequence, the pilot overflew the runway to visually inspect the wind sock. Based on this assessment, the pilot elected to land on Runway 23, which had a total length of 2103 feet.
During the landing roll, the aircraft failed to stop within the available pavement and overran the end of the runway. Upon exiting the paved surface, the left main landing gear collapsed under the stress of the impact. The wind conditions at the time were recorded as 060 degrees at 12 knots. Following the incident, the pilot stated that he had misread the wind sock during his initial inspection.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the landing and the subsequent mechanical failure of the landing gear. Examination confirmed that the aircraft overran the runway limits. The collapse of the left main landing gear was determined to be a result of the forces generated during the overrun rather than a pre-existing mechanical defect.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to this accident included the pilot's decision to land on a runway with limited length after overflying it. The pilot's admission that he misread the wind sock suggests a critical error in situational awareness and weather assessment prior to the final approach. These errors led directly to the loss of control during the landing roll.
Safety message
Pilots operating at uncontrolled airports should exercise extreme caution when using visual cues such as wind socks to determine wind conditions. Overflying a runway to check conditions can disrupt the approach profile and reduce available stopping distance. Accurate assessment of wind and available runway length is essential for safe landing operations.