30 Sep 2018: Cessna 172 Undesignat

30 Sep 2018: Cessna 172 Undesignat (N4001F) — Unknown operator

No fatalities • Somerset, PA, United States

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to land with insufficient runway remaining to stop, which resulted in a runway overrun.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

On September 30, 2018, about 1420 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N4001F, was substantially damaged after it overran the runway while landing at Somerset County Airport (2G9), Somerset, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated around 1215. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the pilot, he was practicing touch-and-go landings during the airplane's first flight since its annual inspection. He then departed the airport, flew locally for about 1.5 hours, and returned to the airport to land on runway 25. He noted a 6 knot left crosswind, and while on final approach, he reduced the engine power to perform the landing. When the airplane was at the end of the 5,000 ft-long runway, the pilot knew that it was traveling too fast to stop prior to the end of the runway, but not fast enough to abort the landing. The airplane continued off the end of the runway, down an embankment, and came to rest inverted about 150 ft from the end of the runway.

During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward section of the fuselage and the vertical stabilizer.

During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that when doing a full stop landing, he lands further down the runway since his hangar is at the far end of the runway.

The 1415 recorded weather observation at the 2G9 included wind from 140° at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 20° C, dew point 11° C; barometric altimeter 30.31 inches of mercury.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the brakes after the accident revealed that no anomalies were noted. In addition, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane prior to the accident that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

  • cause Incorrect use/operation
  • cause Pilot
  • cause Pilot

Conditions

Weather
VMC, wind 140/06kt, vis 10sm

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