SEA96LA087

The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff for a long cross-country ferry flight, he did not think that the engine sounded right and he made a precautionary landing to an airfield. The pilot stated that the runway was wet, and when he applied brakes, the airplane did not slow sufficiently to stop before it traveled off the runway and collided with a ditch. After the accident, the braking system was inspected and no mechanical failure or malfunction was found. The tires displayed a worn spot, and the tread was melted. Later, the pilot reported that he did not feel that the brakes failed. He believed that due to the wet runway and landing long (1,000 feet down the 2,400 foot runway), he was not able to stop the airplane before it ran off the runway.

On May 3, 1996, at 1515 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Nanchang China CJ-6A, N62160, registered to John A. Buchok, and operated by the pilot, ran off the end of runway 36 at Molalla, Oregon and collided with a ditch. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the commercial pilot and his private pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The flight had originated from Aurora, Oregon, about 15 minutes before the accident.

The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to ferry the airplane to California after the airplane had undergone extensive reconstruction. The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff from Aurora, the engine did not sound right, and he decided to make a precautionary landing to runway 36 at Molalla. The pilot stated that the runway was wet from a previous rain shower and the airplane touched down approximately 1,000 feet from the threshold. The pilot applied "normal braking pressure and found little response." The pilot stated that he then applied full braking action and attempted to ground loop the airplane to the left before it exited the end of the runway. The airplane then ran off the end of the runway and collided with a raised roadway. The airplane then slid across the roadway and collided with a ditch.

Two Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors from the Hillsboro, Oregon, Flight Standards District Office, examined the airplane after the accident. The inspectors reported that they did not find a mechanical failure or malfunction with the landing gear brake system. The tires appeared to be new and the inspectors noted flat spots and melting on the tire tread. The pilot, who was present at the time of the inspection, stated to the inspectors that he did not feel that the brake system failed, however, he felt that because of the water on the runway and landing long, he was not able to stop the airplane before it ran off the runway.