NYC98LA119

With dusk approaching, the pilot decided to divert to an alternate airport. Information about the airport and its position was found on a GPS database. After making an approach to land, while approximately 3 feet off the ground, the airplane hit a pile of dirt, touched down, and then veered into a wheat field. Postflight inspection revealed the airplane had not landed on the airport's turf runway, but instead had landed on a parallel, 'elevated fill' runway under construction. Runway and construction information was available in the Airport/Facility Directory.

On May 25, 1998, about 1950 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA-32-300, N43108, was substantially damaged during landing at Hanover Airport (6W6), Hanover, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed for the flight between Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT), Williamsport, Pennsylvania and Potomac Airfield (VKX), Friendly, Maryland. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot's written statement, he diverted to Hanover Airport due to impending darkness, concerns for weather along the route of flight, and an "already long, frustrating, and somewhat tiring day." Hanover was determined to be the nearest airport by utilizing a GPS database. The pilot called on the Unicom frequency, and received a response that the "direction of the active" was Runway 27. The pilot entered a downwind and flew a "normal approach." Then, about 3 feet off the ground on final approach, the "gear apparently struck a dirt pile on the approach end of the runway." The airplane touched down, initially maintained forward directional control, then veered to the left. It came to rest in a wheat field with a collapsed left main landing gear and substantial left wing damage.

Post flight inspection revealed that the pilot had not landed on the published runway. The actual turf runway was parallel to, and to the right of the surface the pilot had landed on. According to the airport owner, the area the pilot landed on was a runway under construction, and there were no runway markings on it. He also said the ground-based Unicom was not operating when the accident occurred because no one was at the airport at that time.

The pilot wrote: "In retrospect, I think my judgement was clouded by fatigue, since I invariably plan more and better." He also wrote: "Importantly, there was [also] no "X" or other markings indicating the hard surfaced runway was closed - nor was there any lighting on the immediately adjacent turf runway or elsewhere. Since only the closed runway was visible and it matched the direction and location of the adjoining turf runway, and there [was] no visible warning that it was closed, it is difficult to imagine a more misleading and confusing set-up."

According to the Airport/Facility Directory, Northeast U.S., effective April 23, 1998, the airport was attended until 1900 Eastern Daylight Time. Runway 27 was marked with barrels, tires and cones; tires were painted yellow, and orange cones marked the south side of the runway. The Directory also stated that there was an "elevated runway fill area" south of the runway, and that night flying was not allowed.