SEA96LA109

The pilot stated that he was 'a little hot (short final approximately 62 mph indicated)' on his approach to the 1,000-foot-long gravel airstrip and that he considered, but did not perform, a go-around on two occasions during the approach. When he increased braking in an effort to stop the aircraft on the airstrip, the aircraft's tail came up. With its tail in the air, the aircraft then encountered soft dirt on the left edge of the airstrip and continued over onto its back. The pilot stated in his accident report that a 'go-around could have been made on very short final or immediately upon touch[down].'

On June 1, 1996, at approximately 1830 Pacific daylight time, a Bellanca 8GCBC, N88401, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during landing on a private 1,000-foot gravel strip near Richland, Washington. The commercial pilot/owner, who was the aircraft's sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR 91 flight from Stehekin State Airport, Stehekin, Washington.

The pilot reported:

I made an approach for a landing to the west. Was a little hot (short final approximately 62 mph indicated) and touched down approximately 150-200 feet past the beginning of the strip; I considered a go-around but thought I still had distance remaining to stop....I pulled the flaps to put more load on the wheels and applied brakes; it was not slowing like I thought it should. I considered a go-around at this point but was not certain that I would be able to clear the trees at the west end of the strip, thus I applied more brake at which time the tail came up. Although I...came off the brakes...I was unable to get the tail back down at which point I hit the softer dirt on the left side of the gravel....the aircraft [pitched] farther forward...and then the aircraft continued over onto its back and came to rest.

The pilot stated in his report that the wind sock at the airstrip indicated a right quartering head wind of about 5 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot made the following recommendation in his report as to how the accident could have been prevented: "Go around could have been made on very short final or immediately upon touch[down]."