A PIPER PA32-301 EXPERIENCED A RWY EXCURSION DURING LNDG ROLLOUT WITH NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE INCURRED.
Synopsis
A PIPER PA32-301 EXPERIENCED A RWY EXCURSION DURING LNDG ROLLOUT WITH NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE INCURRED.
Narrative
COMING IN TO LAND AT END OF 6 HR FLT. SURFACE WINDS WERE 180 DEGS AT 10 KTS; WINDS AT PATTERN ALT WERE SW AT AROUND 20 KTS. I FLEW A LESS THAN PERFECT PATTERN BECAUSE OF THE WIND; AND BEING TIRED AND HUNGRY. ROLLED OUT ON FINAL; ON THE CTRLINE OF RWY 17. I CARRIED A BIT OF PWR; AND AS I LOCKED MY EYES ON THE LIGHTS AT THE END OF THE RWY; I EASED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE. THE MAINS 'GREASED' ON; AND I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS GOING GREAT. SUDDENLY; THE PLANE JERKED THIS WAY AND THAT. THE ROUGH RUDDER AND BRAKE INPUTS I MADE JERKED THE PLANE MORE; BUT I WAS 1/2 WAY DOWN THE RWY WHEN I REALIZED I WAS IN AND OUT OF THE GRASS. I BROUGHT THE PLANE BACK ONTO THE PAVEMENT WITH A STEADY DOSE OF R RUDDER. MY PAX THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN THE CRAZY XWIND THEY SAW AT ALT. I DIDN'T TRY TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? FATIGUE (NERVOUS AND DIDN'T SLEEP WELL BEFORE); HUNGER; BEING TIRED -- THOSE WERE 3 BIG PROBS. AND IT WAS 'HOME' -- GET THEREITIS. WHEN THE MAINS TOUCHED SO SAFELY; I QUIT FLYING THE PLANE AND RELAXED; BECAUSE 'I'M DONE.' WRONG! THAT WAS THE FINAL LINK IN THE CHAIN; AND I WAS A PAX FOR THE NEXT 30 SECONDS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.