NYC98LA036

The pilot was performing a non-precision instrument approach when he executed a missed approach. On the second approach, the airplane was observed to descend out of the clouds near midfield and touchdown near the end of the 4,418 feet long runway. After touchdown, the airplane continued off the departure end of the runway and came to rest at the base of a dike.

On November 30, 1997, about 1750 eastern standard time, a Cessna 310R, N2641F, was substantially damaged while landing at the Hartford-Brainard Airport, Hartford, Connecticut. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Night, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight which last departed from Wilmington, North Carolina, about 1500. The flight was operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The flight originated in Boca Raton, Florida, with a fuel stop at Wilmington, North Carolina. Arriving in the Hartford area, the pilot was vectored to the LDA runway 02 approach, which terminated in a missed approach. The pilot requested the approach again, and on the second approach, the control tower received a low altitude alert which was relayed to the pilot and acknowledged by him. The pilot then reported the field in site.

In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot stated:

"...landed slightly beyond the numbers and landed on a wet runway slick with puddles. Unable to stop aircraft because of conditions. The aircraft went beyond the end of runway into the grass...."

According to a written statement from the local controller:

"...I observed the aircraft about mid-field and at that time the aircraft was offered to circle back to runway 02, no comment was received the pilot. The aircraft touched down close to the intersection of taxiway Delta. N2641F continued down to the departure end of runway 02, and appeared to go off the runway."

In a written statement, an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported:

"...The tower controller spoke to us the night of November 30, 1997, and stated that he saw the aircraft, N2641F, break out of the clouds at approximately 400' [feet] above the runway at approximately halfway down runway 02. The pilot then proceeded to push the nose down and attempt to landing on runway 02. The controller asked the pilot if he would like to circle to runway 20 (heard on the tape) because he believed the plane was too far down the runway to land on runway 02...."

Another witness reported:

"...I spotted a twin, approximately 50 feet over and very near the end of runway 2...The aircraft proceeded to land at or past the end of runway 2 using the overrun for rollout...."

And still another witness reported:

"...The aircraft appeared to be flying just above the runway, but it looked like he was having difficulty putting the aircraft on the ground. When he finally got the plane close to the ground, I immediately noticed he was running out of space on the runway. It looked like he got the right gear to touch ground near the end of the runway by the windsock, and then he lost control of the plane...."

According to Inspectors from the FAA, tire marks which they identified as coming from the left main landing gear tire and nose landing gear tire, were observed in the grass beyond the departure end of the runway. The two tire tracks continued in the grass until they reached upsloping terrain, at which point another tire impression, identified by the FAA, as the right main landing gear was observed. The marks in the grass continued up the sloping terrain, until they came next to a cement structure at the top of the dike.

The airplane was found at the base of the dike with the nose crushed, the right main landing gear collapsed, the right tip tank partially separated from the wing, and wrinkles on the wings.

Runway 02 was 4,418 feet long, 150 feet wide, and had a grooved, asphalt surface. When landing on runway 02, there was about 1,500 feet of runway remaining after passing taxiway DELTA. According to airport personnel, the windsock was located about abeam of the displaced threshold for runway 20, which was offset 549 feet from the end of the runway.

According to landing distance charts supplied by Cessna, the airplane would require a 610 foot ground roll under the following conditions: Maximum gross weight, 5,400 pounds, speed at 50 feet, 93 knots, temperature 32 degrees Fahrenheit, winds calm, dry runway. No landing distance was published for wet runway.

The 1753 observation from Hartford, recorded the wind from 010 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 4 statue miles, light rain and mist, and a 400 foot ceiling.