A PA28 WARRIOR PVT PLT EXPERIENCES A RWY EXCURSION DURING TKOF; FOLDING THE NOSE GEAR AND DAMAGING THE ACFT. A PVT ARPT; RANCHO VALLECITO; 46CA; CA.

Narrative

TKOF FROM RANCHO VALLECITO; THE R WING STRUCK SAGE BRUSH OFF THE R WING. CORRECTED BY MOVING THE PLANE L. L MAIN WHEEL WENT ONTO THE DIRT. NOSEWHEEL CAME DOWN DUE TO LOSS OF GND SPD. NOSEWHEEL HIT RUT ON SIDE OF RWY CAUSING IT TO FOLD UNDER PLANE. COWLING NOSE CAME DOWN CAUSING PLANE TO STOP ABRUPTLY. PROP BLADES BENT. ALTHOUGH I HAD LANDED THE PLANE SAFELY EARLIER; UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE RWY; I SAW THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN MAINTAINED. NO CROSS FOR CLOSED RWY WARNING PLTS THAT RWY WAS INACTIVE! AIR MAP ALSO SHOWED ARPT AS ACTIVE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR HAD PLANNED ON LNDG AT AGUA CALIENTE SPRINGS; L54; BUT HAD MISIDENTED THE ARPTS AND LANDED AT 46CA BY MISTAKE. DUE TO THE RWY'S CONDITION; THE PLT PLANNED ON A SHORT FIELD TKOF TECHNIQUE; SO A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WAS ESTABLISHED. THE RWY WAS EXTREMELY NARROW. RPTR ADMITTED THAT HE WENT TOO FAR TO THE L ON TKOF SO AS TO AVOID THE SAGE BRUSH ON THE R; THEREBY EXITING THE L EDGE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS A RENTAL. THE SHERIFF AND FAA WERE CONTACTED. THE ACFT IS TO BE HAULED OUT BY TRUCK. THE OWNER OF THE STRIP WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMMENTS. RPTR SAID THAT IF HE HAD BEEN IN A C172 THE INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED AS THE HIGH WING WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOVE THE BRUSH. RPTR HAS 400 TOTAL HRS; WITH 70 HRS IN TYPE. RPTR WAS COUNSELED ABOUT THE USE OF PVT ARPTS AND THE FACT THAT THE SYMBOL FOR A HARD SURFACED RWY AS DISPLAYED FOR 46CA ONLY INDICATES THAT IT IS OVER 1500 FT LONG; NOT THAT IT IS IN SVCABLE CONDITION.