SEA97LA220

The pilot elected to land on the 2,100-foot long grass runway with a tailwind of about 10 knots. After the aircraft passed the middle of the runway, the pilot realized that the aircraft would not stop in the remaining distance. Knowing that there was a downhill overrun that ended in the water, as the aircraft neared the end of the runway, the pilot elected to turn off the runway onto up-sloping terrain covered by tall grass. While rolling through the tall grass, the aircraft encountered a drainage ditch, resulting in the collapse of the nose gear and one main gear.

On September 28, 1997, approximately 1045 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N55629, departed the runway during the landing roll at Stuart Island Airport, Stuart Island, Washington. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured, but the aircraft, which was owned and operated by Toledo Flying Club, Inc., received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Toledo, Washington about 90 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the pilot, even though he knew there would be a 10 knot tailwind, and that the grass airstrip would be wet, he elected to land to the west on the 2,100 foot long runway. He said that he made that decision because the strip slopes uphill to the west, and because it was his "...preferred landing direction to the west." On the first approach, he executed a go-around because he was too high. On the second approach, he touched down about one-quarter of the way down the runway, retracted the flaps, and applied heavy braking. By the time the aircraft had traveled about half-way down the runway, the pilot realized that, even with heavy braking, the aircraft would not stop until after it exited the end of the runway. Because at the end of the runway there was a downhill overrun that ends in the water, the pilot elected to turn off the edge of the runway into an area of high grass and a slight uphill slope. After exiting the runway, the aircraft passed over a small drainage ditch in the grassy area, and its nose gear and right main gear collapsed. As the aircraft slid across the terrain, both wings sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, he did not report this event to the Safety Board because he thought the damage was not substantial. Other individuals who looked at the aircraft after the accident determined that the damage was substantial, and reported it to the FAA. The NTSB became aware of the accident on October 13, 1997, and final determination of the extent of the damage was made on November 10, 1997.