On 18 Jul 2015, a PIPER PA 32-300 operated by Scott D. Warner was involved in an aviation accident near Greensboro, NC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to continue the approach after realizing the intended parameters were not attainable, resulting in a runway over-shoot, a loss of control on the ground and the consequent collision with trees. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
The pilot reported that after a go-around, during a second landing attempt, the airplane floated, touched down too slow, ran off the end of the runway, and struck trees, causing substantial wing damage.
Event Description
The pilot conducted a go-around on the initial approach. On the second attempt, the pilot reported being set up for the asphalt runway but adjusted to the grass strip after being pushed off slightly. During the landing flare, the airplane floated, and by the time it touched down, the speed was too low to abort or execute a missed approach. The airplane subsequently ran off the end of the runway and impacted trees, resulting in substantial damage to both wings.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.