Incident Overview
A pilot flying an experimental exhibition airplane conducted a 15-minute pleasure flight after departing from a grass airstrip approximately one hour following a rain shower. The pilot reported that the landing was performed on the same wet grass airstrip.
Landing Sequence
According to the pilot, the airplane touched down approximately 700 feet past the threshold of the 2,000-foot runway at an indicated airspeed of 75 knots. The flaps were fully extended, and the elevator trim was set to nose up. The pilot applied the brakes multiple times, but the airplane overran the departure end of the runway.
Impact and Damage
The airplane's ground speed at the time of overrun was about 13 knots when the right wing struck a fence. The collision resulted in substantial damage to the right-wing aileron.
Pilot's Assessment
In the Pilot Aircraft Accident Report filed with the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had taken into consideration the reduced traction offered by the wet grass. The pilot also reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.