Incident Overview
A pilot was attempting to land at the destination airport after a cross-country flight conducted at night. During the landing roll, the airplane touched down and when the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane began to skid. The loss of traction caused the airplane to depart the left side of the runway.
Loss of Directional Control
As the pilot attempted to regain directional control, the airplane veered back onto the runway and then exited the right side. With approximately 75 feet of the 3,000-foot-long runway remaining, the pilot elected to turn the airplane left in an attempt to reverse its direction. Before the turn could be completed, the airplane struck the airport perimeter fence.
Damage and Examination
The impact resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane. A postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with either the flight controls or the brakes.
Conclusions
The investigation found no evidence of any preexisting mechanical issues that would have contributed to the loss of control. The skid and subsequent runway excursion appear to have been precipitated by the application of brakes on a potentially slick surface, though no specific weather or runway conditions were reported.