CHI00LA303

The pilot said that he 'landed properly' on the runway, touching down at about 700 feet from the approach end. He said that he 'applied brakes, which had no effect, ran out of runway, and turned to the right to avoid trees. [The] Grassy field should have worked out, except for the drainage ditch.' The pilot said that later he was told that there was a tail wind estimated at 45 knots, when he landed. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. Approximately 34 minutes before the accident, the weather observation at Louisville, Kentucky, 11 miles south of the accident site, reported winds of 320 degrees at 16 knots, with gusts to 20 knots.

On September 20, 2000, at 1930 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA-31-325, N63706, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it ran off the end of runway 14 (3,899 feet by 75 feet, wet asphalt) at the Clark County Airport, Jeffersonville, Indiana, went down a ravine, and impacted the terrain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. A VFR flight plan was on file. The pilot reported minor injuries. The cross-country flight originated at Elizabethtown, Kentucky, at 1900 edt, and was en route to Jeffersonville, Indiana.

In his written statement, the pilot said that he "landed properly on [runway] 14, touching down at about 700 feet from the beginning of the runway, applied brakes, which had no effect, ran out of runway, and turned to the right to avoid trees. [The] Grassy field should have worked out, except for the drainage ditch." The pilot said that later he was told that there was a tail wind estimated at 45 knots, when he landed.

The airplane was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector at the accident site. The nose of the airplane, aft to the windscreen was crushed aft. The engine nacelles, propellers, engines, and left wing were bent aft. The nose gear and main landing gear were broken off. Flight control continuity was confirmed. Examination of the engine, engine controls, and other airplane systems revealed no anomalies.

At 1856 edt, the weather observation at the Louisville International Airport, Louisville, Kentucky, 11 miles south of the accident site, was ceilings 1,900 feet broken, 3,600 feet 8,000 feet overcast, 4 miles visibility with thunderstorms, rain, and mist, temperature 65 degrees F, dew point 63 degrees F, winds 320 degrees at 16 knots, gusts to 20 knots, and altimeter 29.78 inches of Mercury.

The Pilot's Operating Manual provides a Short Field Accelerate/Stop Distance Chart, based on a dry, paved, level runway. Conditions require an acceleration to 85 miles per hour calibrated airspeed and wing flaps at 15 degrees. For a 6,500 pound airplane, a temperature of 65 degrees F, a pressure altitude of 500 feet, and no headwind, the accelerate stop distance would be approximately 2,100 feet.