What happened
The pilot attempted to land an aircraft on a 1,600-foot-long runway that was wet at the time of the accident. According to performance charts from the aircraft's owner's manual, the nominal landing distance for this type of aircraft is between 600 and 680 feet, depending on gross weight.
Upon applying the wheel brakes, the pilot reported that the aircraft continued at its existing speed with little to no deceleration. As the end of the runway approached, the pilot was unable to see the area beyond the runway threshold. In an attempt to use a greater distance to slow and stop the aircraft, the pilot steered the aircraft off the paved surface and onto the grass. After departing the pavement, the aircraft slowed to approximately 10 MPH before traveling over an embankment and colliding with trees. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed aerial imagery from a state airport directory and photographs taken by on-scene investigators. These records revealed a 600-foot-long overrun area located beyond the end of the runway. However, due to the slope of the terrain, this overrun area was not visible from the runway surface.