No fatalities

Pilot Diverts Due to Weather, Overruns Wet Runway After Tailwind Landing

Weiner, AR, United States

On June 6, 2019, a Piper PA24 400 was involved in an aviation accident near Weiner, AR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll on a wet runway, which resulted in a runway overrun and collision with a pole. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

During a diversion due to deteriorating weather, a pilot landed with a tailwind on a wet runway, applied heavy braking, and the airplane veered off and overran, striking a pole and damaging the left-wing spar.

Diversion and Landing

A pilot diverted to a nearby airport because of deteriorating weather along the planned route. While overflying the runway to assess wind direction, the pilot observed an airplane parked on the approach end of runway 19. Consequently, the pilot decided to land on runway 01 with a 6-knot quartering right tailwind.

Touchdown and Loss of Control

After touching down on the wet runway, the pilot applied heavy braking. The pilot believed that one of the landing gear wheels may have locked up or skidded on a wet area while the other wheel did not. The airplane subsequently veered off from the runway centerline. The pilot reduced braking in an attempt to regain directional control, but the airplane overran the runway, and the left wing impacted a metal pole.

Damage and Mechanical Status

The airplane's left-wing forward spar was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

PilotAttain/maintain not possibleEffect on operation