What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Wasp in cockpit on final. Distractied landed long on short strip. Overran runway into swampt. (.4)the airplane was on approach to the 1,863 foot long, asphalt runway. The pilot stated, 'just before the final flare a hornet distracted me to the extent I lost concentration to the task of landing. I touched down 'long.' Seeing only a short area in which to stop, I applied full power to go around, but there was not enough room before the reeds in the swampy area.' The airplane struck the reeds and nosed over. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions of the airframe or engine. Wind reported at airports about 15 miles west, and 23 miles east of the accident site at 1345, were from 330 degrees at 15 knots, with 20 knot gusts, and from 350 degrees at 10 knots, respectively. (-23) according to the pilot, robert e. martin, 2 hornets appeared in the cockpit on final diverting his attention. This occurred on June 1, 1998, at 1327 EST while landing a Cessna CE-140-140, on runway 6 at Griswold Airport (N04) in Madison, Connecticut. Both persons on board stated that they ma naged to kill one hornet but that the other one landed on the back of the pilot's neck. Earlier, to compensate for a 9-12 knot, 90 degree crosswind, the pilot increased airspeed. Upon touching down he found that he had landed long because of the distraction and fear of being stung. He elected to apply power and go around. The aircraft was unable to clear the ten foot reeds at the end of the runway. The aircraft struck the reeds/marsh approximately 50 yards off the end of the runway; nosing over on impact.
As the FAA filed it
WASP IN COCKPIT ON FINAL. DISTRACTIED LANDED LONG ON SHORT STRIP. OVERRAN RUNWAY INTO SWAMPT. (.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS ON APPROACH TO THE 1,863 FOOT LONG, ASPHALT RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED, 'JUST BEFORE THE FINAL FLARE A HORNET DISTRACTED ME TO THE EXTENT I LOST CONCENTRATION TO THE TASK OF LANDING. I TOUCHED DOWN 'LONG.' SEEING ONLY A SHORT AREA IN WHICH TO STOP, I APPLIED FULL POWER TO GO AROUND, BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM BEFORE THE REEDS IN THE SWAMPY AREA.' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE REEDS AND NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. WIND REPORTED AT AIRPORTS ABOUT 15 MILES WEST, AND 23 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AT 1345, WERE FROM 330 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS, WITH 20 KNOT GUSTS, AND FROM 350 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, RESPECTIVELY. (-23) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ROBERT E. MARTIN, 2 HORNETS APPEARED IN THE COCKPIT ON FINAL DIVERTING HIS ATTENTION. THIS OCCURRED ON JUNE 1, 1998, AT 1327 EST WHILE LANDING A CESSNA CE-140-140, ON RUNWAY 6 AT GRISWOLD AIRPORT (N04) IN MADISON, CONNECTICUT. BOTH PERSONS ON BOARD STATED THAT THEY MA NAGED TO KILL ONE HORNET BUT THAT THE OTHER ONE LANDED ON THE BACK OF THE PILOT'S NECK. EARLIER, TO COMPENSATE FOR A 9-12 KNOT, 90 DEGREE CROSSWIND, THE PILOT INCREASED AIRSPEED. UPON TOUCHING DOWN HE FOUND THAT HE HAD LANDED LONG BECAUSE OF THE DISTRACTION AND FEAR OF BEING STUNG. HE ELECTED TO APPLY POWER AND GO AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE TEN FOOT REEDS AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE REEDS/MARSH APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY; NOSING OVER ON IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.