Incident Details
The pilot approached the airport and performed a flyover to check the runway environment. A friend, piloting a separate airplane, landed first on the 2,160-foot by 60-foot grass runway. The pilot then attempted to land on the same runway. The first approach was aborted after the pilot determined he was too high and fast.
Pilot Actions
During the second landing attempt, the pilot touched down on the main landing gear at approximately the midpoint of the runway. He kept the nose wheel elevated and applied gentle braking. The airplane slowed, but the pilot reported it did not decelerate at the rate he anticipated. He considered aborting the landing but concluded he would not have sufficient room to clear trees at the runway's end. The pilot hoped a short overrun area would help stop the airplane, but long grass concealed a steep slope, estimated to be 20 to 30 feet in depth.
Outcome
The airplane exited the end of the runway, descended the slope, crossed a gravel road, and impacted small trees. The fuselage and wing spars sustained substantial damage. Following the accident, the pilot recognized that the runway featured a significant downslope that was not visible during his earlier flyover. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.