Accident Overview
The pilot of a small airplane reported that during landing on a private airstrip, the aircraft went off the end of the runway after the tires began to skid. The airplane subsequently went through a fence and impacted a ditch.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, he had lined up for a straight-in landing to the north on the 1800-foot grass runway while approaching from the south. He reported that during the landing, a tailwind of approximately 5 knots was present. When he applied the brakes on the grass surface, the tires skidded, and the airplane could not be stopped before departing the runway.
Runway and Conditions
The airstrip was a private facility with a grass runway measuring 1800 feet in length. The landing direction was to the north, and the wind was from the south at about 5 knots, resulting in a tailwind condition during the approach and landing.
Aircraft Performance
Data from the aircraft operating handbook indicated that the airplane's landing performance was adequate for the available runway length and the local conditions at the time of the accident. The handbook's figures suggested the airplane could have stopped within the runway under the given circumstances, but the actual landing resulted in a loss of braking effectiveness due to skidding on the grass.