CHI95LA020

The pilot reported that he overshot final and landed long and fast. He stated he elected not to abort the landing due to powerlines at the departure end. He added power when nearing the end of the airstrip in order to travel over ditches but yet stay under the powerlines. The top of the horizontal stabilizer contacted the powerlines and the airplane came to a stop in a field. The landing was being made to the north with a southwest wind of 5 knots. The pilot stated he intentionally landed to the north to avoid the powerlines. He stated he should have performed a go-around prior to touchdown.

On October 22, 1994, at 1140 central standard time, a Cessna 182P, N9878E, registered to Robert W. Hall, overran the airstrip while landing at the Hackbarth private airstrip in Bremen, Indiana. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 flight. The flight originated from Nappanee, Indiana, on October 22, 1994, at 1130 cst.

The pilot stated that his downwind traffic pattern leg for runway 36 was too close and he overshot final approach during the turn to final. He stated the winds were from the southwest at 5 knots. The pilot continued to report that his "flair was too long & too fast." He stated that he realized he was going to have trouble stopping, but decided not to attempt a go-around due to powerlines directly off the departure end of the runway.

The pilot stated that when approaching the end of the grass airstrip, he applied power in an attempt to go over ditches and to stay under the powerlines. The airplane contacted the powerlines with the top leading edge surface of the horizontal stabilizer and came to rest in a field with the nose gear and left main gear sheared off.

The pilot reported that he intentionally landed on runway 36 even though there was a southwest wind in order to avoid having to clear the powerlines at the north end of the runway.