LAX08CA245

The plot landed on the last half of the 2,900-foot-long grass runway and was unable to bring the airplane to a stop before it ran off the end of the runway and into trees. Prior to going to the airport, the pilot had spoken with local area pilots who indicated that he should not use the first half of the runway because it was muddy and soft. The pilot indicated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. The Federal Aviation Administration Airport/Facility Directory for the airport states in part, " that the lower 1/3 of the runway is soft and unusable during the early spring. " The performance section landing distance charts of the Cessna 180 Owners Manual listed a total landing distance of 1,842 over a 50-foot obstacle, with a 847-foot ground roll (chart correction factors applied for grass runway surface and no wind).

In the pilot's written statement, he reported speaking with local area pilots prior to going to the accident airport to obtain the general conditions for the airport environment. The local area pilots told him not to land on the first half of the runway due to muddy conditions. Upon arrival, the pilot overflew the airport prior to landing. He noted two parked airplanes, with one of the them parked so that a wing was near the runway. He completed the traffic pattern and landed right after the parked airplanes. He was not able to stop the airplane and it overran the runway and impacted small trees about 50 feet from the end of the runway. The pilot indicated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. In the remarks section of the Federal Aviation Administration Airport/Facility Directory for Graham United States Forest Service Airport (U45), Atlanta, Idaho, it states that the lower 1/3 of runway 18/36 is soft and unusable during the early spring. The runway is 2,900 feet in length and 50 feet wide.