What happened
During a landing attempt at a private airstrip, a Cessna (type not specified in source) overran the runway, striking trees and subsequently catching fire. The impact resulted in 1 fatality. A witness observed the aircraft approaching the airstrip at a high rate of speed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions included misting rain, rain, and a low ceiling.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed no anomalies prior to the impact. Investigators identified evidence of heavy braking and tire sliding on the wet, turf runway leading to the main wreckage. Analysis of tire marks indicated that the aircraft touched down with 1,523 feet of runway remaining out of a total runway length of 1,981 feet. For an aircraft weighing 4,000 pounds, the determined dry runway landing distance over a 50-foot obstacle with no wind was approximately 1,400 feet.