TAFTON, PA, USA
N9611L
Grumman American AA-1B
The pilot's first approach to the 2,200-foot paved strip was high and fast, and he performed a go-around. During his second approach, he touched down about 700 feet from the approach end and applied brakes. The pilot determined that there was insufficient distance remaining to abort the landing, and the airplane ran off the end of the runway down an embankment. The Owner's Manual listed the total required landing distance to be 1,320 feet, with a ground roll of 520 feet, to clear a 50 foot obstacle.
On August 17, 1996, at 1020 eastern daylight time, a Grumman American AA-1B, N9611L, was substantially damaged when it ran off the end of the runway at a private airstrip in Tafton, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot and passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, about 0945. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that his first approach to runway 30, a 2,200 foot paved strip, was high and fast, and he performed a go-around. He further stated: "...Extended downwind and resulting final to approach between 70-65 knots. Touched down approximately 700 feet from approach end, began applying brakes. Judged remaining length and speed insufficient for abort. Continued braking and ran over end of runway, down a 50 foot embankment..." According to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector's report, witnesses confirmed the events related by the pilot, and that the pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane. He also stated that the damage to the airplane occurred during the impact at the bottom of the embankment. The Owner's Manual listed landing distances to clear 50 foot obstacles, for hard surface runways, airplane at maximum gross weight, flaps down, no wind, and at an indicated airspeed of 78 MPH. The manual listed a total required distance of 1,320 feet, with a ground roll of 520 feet, on a runway at 2,000 feet pressure altitude, and 52 degrees F outside air temperature. The pilot's total flying experience was about 119 hours of which 62 hours were as pilot-in-command.
The pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance during the landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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