SR22 pilot reported long landing and ineffective braking at night resulted loss of aircraft control with a runway excursion and prop strike.

Date: 2026-01 · Aircraft: SR22 · Phase: landing

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|ground-event-encounter-ground-strike-aircraft|ground-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|ground-event-encounter-object|ground-excursion-runway|inflight-event-encounter-unstabilized-approach

Synopsis

SR22 pilot reported long landing and ineffective braking at night resulted loss of aircraft control with a runway excursion and prop strike.

Narrative

I was conducting a VFR flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ at 4;500 feet. Upon handoff from Approach to ZZZ Tower; I received clearance for a straight-in approach and clearance to land Runway XXL. The approach was stable and on centerline; with the PAPI showing white-white-red-red at approximately 500 feet AGL; indicating a proper glidepath. During the flare at touchdown; the aircraft floated slightly longer than expected. I focused on maintaining precise centerline tracking due to the night environment. Given the recent cold weather and probablitily of black ice on the runway; I was overly conservative with braking action. I did not adequately monitor remaining runway distance visually; and by the time I realized I had passed the approximate midpoint of the runway and was nearing the end; I applied heavier braking. The aircraft overran the departure end of Runway XXL; striking two runway edge lights with the propeller; causing damage to the prop and minor airframe scrapes. The aircraft came to a complete stop off the paved surface with no injuries to myself. I immediately notified the tower of the situation. The FBO arranged a tow back to the ramp. After shutdown and securing the aircraft; I contacted my IFR flight instructor to debrief the event thoroughly. We discussed contributing factors including night visual illusions; delayed recognition of rollout progress; and overly conservative initial braking. To address this and prevent recurrence; I have enrolled in a 40-hour advanced flying remediation course. It will include targeted flights in various airspaces; day and night operations; and different weather conditions; with emphasis on energy management; precise touchdown aiming points; vigilant runway remaining awareness (especially at night); timely go-arounds if landing doesn't feel optimal; and appropriate braking techniques. This incident reinforced several lessons: (1) Prioritize scanning runway distance markers/remaining during rollout; especially at night; (2) Avoid fixating on one perceived risk (e.g.; potential slipperiness) at the expense of others (e.g.; overrun); (3) Be ready to go around early if float or energy seems excessive; (4) Use stabilized approach criteria rigorously and plan for the full landing distance required. I believe these factors--night conditions reducing depth perception; slight float extending rollout; and delayed/aggressive late braking--contributed to the excursion. I am committed to improving through structured training and sharing these insights to help other pilots avoid similar events.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.