The pilot told investigators that he was attempting a second landing at the airport in Ocklawaha, Florida, after going around due to “heavy turbulence” on his first approach.
He reported that he experienced a tailwind and the Piper PA-28-235 floated before landing “longer than usual.”
He applied the brakes but was unable to stop on the runway, resulting in a runway overrun.
After departing the runway, the airplane hit a fence, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and engine mount. The pilot sustained minor injuries in the crash.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point which resulted in a runway overrun and subsequent impact with a fence.
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This October 2023 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.
If he knew he had a tailwind, why not abort the landing and come around to the opposite end? Maybe he’d have had to go around three times before he got favorable landing winds, but at least that would have saved the plane and his injuries.
Don’t fly to Cedar Key and Land if you cannot slow down on your approach. You will be in the water.
Just because the sign says, “Low Flying Airplanes”, that isn’t a mandatory instruction for pilots and airplanes to follow.
Approaching and landing in turbulent conditions for most pilots is probably just a classroom or textbook discussion with no actual instruction and practice in the airplane. Just like the recommendation for when there’s an ice buildup on the airplane, find a longer runway, because chances are pretty strong that the approach is not going to be pretty.
Always amazed how many pilots thank they are better pilots than they really are.
You guys can’t practice enough. Speed control. What ever runway you’re using, you should only need half of it to takeoff and land otherwise don’t use it. I wish I could have all the beautiful planes people smash up every year do to their poor skill set!!!!!
Scratch another legacy aircraft…….
I need the replace my cockpit windscreens for my PA 28.
Stabilized approach on speed and on touch down point can prevent over run accidents. That plus really working to control touch down point and instilling the discipline to go around. I think that we do not emphasize stabilized approaches and the rejuected landing if not on target. Pilots who fly out of 2000 foot or so airstrips do much better and controlling the touchdown and approach speed.
Flightaware showed that both approaches were at 110+ mph ….way too fast .
The tailwind may have had an affect, but trying to land 30 mph too fast would be difficult, especially on a 2,900 ft runway.!