- Date
- August 2, 1996, 20:20 local (Aug 3, 1996, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- Sodus, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N612FLPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960803020789A
- Case key
- 39226
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in insufficient runway to stop the airplane, and the subsequent overrun. Factors in the accident were the wet grass runway surface, and the pilot's lack of recent flying experience.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot and passenger flew a local flight from a private airstrip and had returned to land. On final approach to the north runway, the pilot notice rain on the windshield. The pilot flared high and the airplane touched down about halfway down the 2,200 foot wet grass runway. The airplane skidded on the wet grass and ran off the end of the runway and struck trees. Winds at an airport about 35 miles to the west of the private strip were reported from 190 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot obtained his private pilot certificate in 1983, and after a 13 year lay off from flying, had flown about 7 hours during the previous 90 days, and 1 hour in the past 30 days. His estimated total flight experience was 64 hours, of which 15 were as a pilot-in-command.
Factual narrative
On August 2, 1996, at 2020 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N612FL, was substantially damaged when it ran off the end of the runway at a private airstrip in Sodus, New York. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Sodus, about 1915. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated:
"...We flew locally within a 10 mile radius of the airstrip and returned at about 2015. While on final approach some moisture, dew or rain drops appeared on the windshield. I flared a little high and carried down the runway touching down just before the hanger. As I slowed, I attempted to brake, but realized I was sliding. As I approached the north end of the runway...I still kept skidding on the wet runway. I determined the plane was not going to stop so I lined myself up to allow only the wings to contact two trees..."
According to the Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, the grass was wet, and the airplane had touched down to the north, about halfway down the 2,200 foot strip.
Winds at an airport about 35 miles to the west of Sodus were reported from 190 degrees at 4 knots.
The pilot obtained his private pilot certificate on May 19, 1983. He moved his residence in 1983, and did not resume flying until about 3 months prior to the accident. The pilot estimated that his total flying experience was about 64 hours, of which 15 hours were as pilot-in-command. The pilot estimated that he had flown about 7 hours during the previous 90 days, all in make and model, of which 1 hour was during the previous 30 days.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N612FL
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Airframe hours
- 2,890
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320EG3, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard J. Beldue
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 1996 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · Sodus, runway 36, 2,200 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 64 total · 17 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 14,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ROC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N612FL · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.