Incident Overview
The pilot of an airplane reported that during a night landing on a runway contaminated with ice and patchy packed snow, the aircraft overshot the intended touchdown zone. In an effort to avoid floating, the pilot attempted to fly the airplane onto the runway. The airplane touched down firmly, and the pilot applied moderate braking, but the airplane did not decelerate as expected. It subsequently departed the end of the runway and collided with several Runway End Identifier Lights (REILs) and a tree.
Damage and Diagnostics
The accident resulted in substantial damage to both the left and right wings. The pilot stated that he did not feel modulation in the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and believed that may have been a factor. However, an examination of fault codes from the airplane's diagnostic storage unit revealed no ABS malfunctions or failures.
Witness and Surveillance
An airport employee reported observing the airplane unusually high on final approach. During the landing, the airplane appeared to float or remain in ground effect before touching down beyond the midpoint of the runway. The long touchdown was also captured by an airport surveillance video, which is included in the report docket.
Official Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident, as stated in the official findings, is the pilot’s failure to maintain proper control of the airplane, which led to an unstabilized approach and a long landing on a runway contaminated with ice and patchy packed snow resulting in a runway excursion.