The pilot reported that about seven nautical miles from the airport he mistook a road for the runway, which resulted in the Piper PA-28 being above the normal approach path for landing.
He reduced power to idle, applied full flaps, and entered a side slip, but the airplane did not touchdown until about ½ to ¾ down the runway at the airport in Hamburg, N.Y.
Subsequently, the airplane overran the runway, the landing gear collapsed, and the right wing hit a guard rail on a road about 550′ beyond the runway threshold.
The right wing sustained substantial damage.
The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to perform a go-around, which resulted in a landing area overshoot, a runway overrun, a landing gear collapse, and a collision with a guard rail.
NTSB Identification: GAA16CA427
This August 2016 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
The FAA has an excellent guideline recommending control of a stabilized descent angle so that the airplane lands in the center of the first third of the runway. I don’t see references too often to that guideline unfortunately. If it were discussed more frequently, I can’t help but think it would help to avoid this type of incident.