LAX99LA009

The airplane drifted off of the runway, collided with a boulder and overturned during a go-around following a bounced landing. The pilot and his passengers were returning to their home airport after flying out for breakfast. As the airplane entered the traffic pattern, the pilot noticed men and equipment on the runway. He asked UNICOM to clear the runway. The men vacated the runway but parked the equipment in close proximity to the pavement edge, approximately 1,000 feet down from the approach end of the runway. The pilot flew a slightly high approach in order to avoid landing prior to the men and equipment. After bouncing the landing, the pilot attempted to go around. The airplane drifted off the runway and struck a boulder, which sheared off the nose wheel and strut. It continued to slide on its nose for a short distance before the nose dug in and it nosed over onto its back. The pilot said there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane or its systems prior to the accident.

On October 12, 1998, at 1120 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 182P, N1938M, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Payson, Arizona, airport. The commercial pilot and his two passengers sustained minor injuries when the airplane departed the runway, hit a boulder, and overturned. The pilot was operating the borrowed airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The airplane departed Sedona, Arizona, approximately 1015 for a return trip to Payson after breakfast in Sedona.

The pilot stated his initial departure from Payson was at 0815, and the flight to Sedona was uneventful. After departing Sedona, they cruised around the meteor crater south of Winslow, Arizona, and returned to Payson. Noticing men and equipment on the runway, he requested through UNICOM that the runway be cleared. The truck vacated the runway but remained in close proximity to the south side of the runway, approximately 1,000 feet down from the approach end of runway 24. The pilot indicated he flew a slightly high approach to avoid touching down prior to the men and equipment. After bouncing on landing, he initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the airplane drifted off the runway and struck a boulder, shearing off the nose wheel and strut. It began to skid, the nose dug into dirt, and the airplane nosed over onto its back. Crush damage occurred to the engine cowling, both wings, rudder, and vertical stabilizer. The propeller was bent and the fuselage and empennage were buckled. The pilot and his passengers exited through the right door.

The rear seat passenger did not have a shoulder harness and said he was thrown violently into the back of the right front seat. He had some difficulty in releasing his seat belt and had to be assisted by the pilot. Sustaining head and chest injuries, he was transported to a hospital for overnight treatment and observation. The pilot and other passenger sustained minor cuts and bruises.

In his written statement, the pilot said there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane prior to the accident.