Accident Details
During the landing phase, the pilot noted that the windsock at the airport indicated variable winds at about 5 knots, with a predominant favor for runway 1. The runway in use was 01/19, which according to the FAA airport facility directory measured 1,850 feet in length and consisted of soft gravel. However, the northern 1,000 feet of the runway had been indefinitely closed.
Pilot Report
The pilot recalled that approximately 500 feet down the runway, just before touchdown, the airplane encountered "a pretty rapid shift in the winds in both direction and velocity." The airplane touched down momentarily, then became airborne again. After the second touchdown, the speed did not decrease as expected. The airplane began to slow as it gained better traction on the gravel, which was wet from earlier rain, but the pilot ran out of runway. The airplane overran the runway at a groundspeed of about 10 knots, went down a small embankment, and sustained substantial damage when the left wing struck a post, which also resulted in a propeller strike.
Aircraft and Operational Factors
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations. The pilot also stated that he considered executing a go-around but rejected the idea due to the wind and terrain conditions.