Incident Overview
The pilot of the airplane elected to land on runway 25 at the destination airport. The windsock indicated a crosswind that did not favor either runway. The approach was flown at a speed of 65-75 knots. Just before touchdown, the pilot realized the landing would be long and that the airplane would go off the end of the runway.
Sequence of Events
After touchdown, the airplane veered to the right and struck a runway light. Subsequently, it impacted trees located approximately 300 feet off the end of the runway. The wings sustained substantial damage.
Witness Observation
A witness residing next to the airport advised the pilot that he had landed with a tailwind and should have used runway 7. About five minutes after the accident, an Automated Weather Observing System located 3 miles north of the accident site reported winds from 080 degrees at 5 knots.
Mechanical Status
The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.