What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 7, 2015 ^ariel connolly-smith^ was flying N1125X, a PA-28R-200 from queen city, allentown (xll) to the Doylestown,PA airport (dyl) following her certified flight instructor checkride. As she was approaching dyl she checked the weather and the winds were reported as light and variable. She chose to land on runway 5 since that is the preferred calm or light wind runway at dyl.
^Ms. Connolly-smith^ stated that when she approached the airport she flew a normal pattern to runway 5 and everything with the aircraft was normal. She said she turned final and was a little high and a little fast. This caused her to float excessively down the runway and she touched down approximately 2000 feet down the 3000 foot long runway. She stated that as she approached the runway end she veered left to avoid hitting the runway lights at the end of the runway and in doing this she hit a taxi light with the right landing gear which ended up causing substantial damage to the aircraft.
^Ms. Connolly-smith^ stated she normally would have gone around in this situation but she was fatigued from having her CFI checkride all day and she wasn't thinking clearly. She also said she was concerned about going around because of the trees at the end of the runway.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2015 ^ARIEL CONNOLLY-SMITH^ WAS FLYING N1125X, A PA-28R-200 FROM QUEEN CITY, ALLENTOWN (XLL) TO THE DOYLESTOWN,PA AIRPORT (DYL) FOLLOWING HER CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CHECKRIDE. AS SHE WAS APPROACHING DYL SHE CHECKED THE WEATHER AND THE WINDS WERE REPORTED AS LIGHT AND VARIABLE. SHE CHOSE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 5 SINCE THAT IS THE PREFERRED CALM OR LIGHT WIND RUNWAY AT DYL.
^MS. CONNOLLY-SMITH^ STATED THAT WHEN SHE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT SHE FLEW A NORMAL PATTERN TO RUNWAY 5 AND EVERYTHING WITH THE AIRCRAFT WAS NORMAL. SHE SAID SHE TURNED FINAL AND WAS A LITTLE HIGH AND A LITTLE FAST. THIS CAUSED HER TO FLOAT EXCESSIVELY DOWN THE RUNWAY AND SHE TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET DOWN THE 3000 FOOT LONG RUNWAY. SHE STATED THAT AS SHE APPROACHED THE RUNWAY END SHE VEERED LEFT TO AVOID HITTING THE RUNWAY LIGHTS AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND IN DOING THIS SHE HIT A TAXI LIGHT WITH THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR WHICH ENDED UP CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
^MS. CONNOLLY-SMITH^ STATED SHE NORMALLY WOULD HAVE GONE AROUND IN THIS SITUATION BUT SHE WAS FATIGUED FROM HAVING HER CFI CHECKRIDE ALL DAY AND SHE WASN'T THINKING CLEARLY. SHE ALSO SAID SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT GOING AROUND BECAUSE OF THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.