Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary BFO94LA117

QUARRYVILLE, PA, USA

Aircraft #1

N6728X

BEECH F33A

Analysis

AS THE PILOT APPROACHED THE GRASS AIRSTRIP, HE OBSERVED THAT A VARYING CROSSWIND EXISTED FOR LANDING. HE CHOSE THE RUNWAY THAT HE THOUGHT THE WIND WAS FAVORING, AND HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE FIRST THIRD OF IT. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE WAS 'GOING FASTER THAN USUAL' BECAUSE OF A TAILWIND. THE PILOT COULD NOT STOP THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT REACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INTO A WHEAT FIELD PAST THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, THE PILOT DECIDED TO ADD FULL POWER AND TAKE OFF. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WERE REPORTED.

Factual Information

On June 26, 1994, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Beech F33A, N6728X, operated by the owner/pilot, collided with a fence during an aborted landing and was substantially damaged in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91 and departed from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The pilot reported that as he approached the grass airstrip for landing, he observed that a varying crosswind existed for landing. He chose the runway that he thought the wind conditions were favoring (runway 28) and performed a full-flap landing onto the first third of it. The pilot stated that at touchdown, the airplane was "going faster than usual" because of a tailwind. He stated that he could not stop the airplane before it reached the end of the runway. As the airplane rolled past the runway threshold and into a wheat field, the pilot decided to add full power and attempt to take off. The airplane then struck a fence despite the pilot's efforts to stop the airplane at the last moment. The pilot also stated that "...it would have been better not to have attempted the go-around...." According to an FAA aviation safety inspector from New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, the nose gear was sheered off, the firewall was bent, and both wings were damaged. No pre-impact mechanical deficiencies were found.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO TOUCHDOWN AT THE PROPER POINT AND HIS DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A TAILWIND.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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