What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At cruise enroute to Palo Alto (pao) pilot (PIC) noticed a warning horn indicating high oil temp, and the gauge was fluctuating. A precautionary landing was made at modesto, oil level checked and topped off, engine run up normal so departed IFR to pao. In cruise noticed warning horn again considered landing at livermore, but weather was not acceptable. Continued towards pao and discussed with norcal about landing at san jose, but opted to continue to pao due to only an additional 8 min farther. Contacted pao tower and indicated landing with power off and told the tower about indication issues. Set up to land on rwy 31 with a standard pattern, but turned to base early, continued pattern with power set at 20 inches of manifold pressure. She realized she was high but was concerned about engine failure and did not want to go around. Touched down beyond middle of rwy on departure side. Remembers sliding and seeing the end of the rwy approaching. Was concerned about hitting the dike head on and applied power and attempted to lift the nose. The aircraft pitched up and left wing dipped down. Left wing contacted the dike broke off as aircraft cartwheeled over the dike and stopped facing rwy 13.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT CRUISE ENROUTE TO PALO ALTO (PAO) PILOT (PIC) NOTICED A WARNING HORN INDICATING HIGH OIL TEMP, AND THE GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING. A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS MADE AT MODESTO, OIL LEVEL CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF, ENGINE RUN UP NORMAL SO DEPARTED IFR TO PAO. IN CRUISE NOTICED WARNING HORN AGAIN CONSIDERED LANDING AT LIVERMORE, BUT WEATHER WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. CONTINUED TOWARDS PAO AND DISCUSSED WITH NORCAL ABOUT LANDING AT SAN JOSE, BUT OPTED TO CONTINUE TO PAO DUE TO ONLY AN ADDITIONAL 8 MIN FARTHER. CONTACTED PAO TOWER AND INDICATED LANDING WITH POWER OFF AND TOLD THE TOWER ABOUT INDICATION ISSUES. SET UP TO LAND ON RWY 31 WITH A STANDARD PATTERN, BUT TURNED TO BASE EARLY, CONTINUED PATTERN WITH POWER SET AT 20 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE. SHE REALIZED SHE WAS HIGH BUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ENGINE FAILURE AND DID NOT WANT TO GO AROUND. TOUCHED DOWN BEYOND MIDDLE OF RWY ON DEPARTURE SIDE. REMEMBERS SLIDING AND SEEING THE END OF THE RWY APPROACHING. WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HITTING THE DIKE HEAD ON AND APPLIED POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO LIFT THE NOSE. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP AND LEFT WING DIPPED DOWN. LEFT WING CONTACTED THE DIKE BROKE OFF AS AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED OVER THE DIKE AND STOPPED FACING RWY 13.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.