FTW95LA062

The commercial pilot landed long, 'half way down', the 2,200 foot grass runway. When he realized that he was going to run off the end of the runway he deliberately ground looped the aircraft. He did not abort the landing because he thought it would be safer to continue with the landing roll.

On December 7, 1994, approximately 1640 central standard time, a Cessna 172B, N7697X, was substantially damaged during landing near Seguin, Texas. The airplane, owned by one of the passengers and flown by a commercial pilot, was on a personal flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Neither the pilot nor the two passengers were injured.

During in an interview, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, and in his written report the pilot stated that the flight had originated at the New Braunfels Municipal Airport, New Braunfels, Texas, and the intended destination was the Elm Creek Airpark, Seguin, Texas. He further reported that he made three passes over the airport, to determine the wind direction, prior to landing on runway 36. He stated that the "touchdown was half way down" the 2,200 foot runway. At some point following the touchdown the pilot felt that a "go around was more dangerous than continuing the landing roll." As the aircraft proceeded down the runway the pilot realized that he was going to "over run runway so he elected to ground loop the aircraft." He further reports that the "aircraft was nearly stopped when it went over the edge of the berm at the north end of the runway."