19981014034679A

On October 14, 1998 at approximately 11:45 am, Piper aircraft N39525 landed in Vidalia, Georgia on "closed" runway 24. The aircraft landed, the left main landing gear hit a small "orange and white colored barrier." The aircraft left landing gear folded under the aircraft, the left wing contacted the runway. The aircraft skidded off the runway on to the grass. The aircraft came to rest on the left side of runway 24, aft of the intersection with runway 13/31. An inspection of the runway revealed that large "yellow xs" were in place at the ends of runway 24/6. The yellow xs were held in place with sand bags. Some sand had migrated from the sand bags onto the yellow xs. Additional barriers were on runway 24/6 at the intersection of runway 13/31 to keep traffic from turning on the closed runway. These barriers were wrapped in a orange and white reflective material. The barriers also had yellow blinking lights attached to the top of the barriers. The yellow blinking lights are only activated at night. The closed runway was properly marked in accordance with the aeronautical information manual, chapter 2, as per the attached sheets. Additionally, the headings markings (24) of runway 24 were obliterated. Only the top portion of the "4" was visible. New concrete was poured in the section of the runway which contained the "2".