BRIDGEPORT, TX, USA
N8351R
Piper PA-28-161
After a 30 minute cross country flight, the pilot flew over the destination airport and observed that the wind sock was 'not functioning.' She then elected to use the same traffic pattern established by another airplane that was already in the pattern (runway 35). On final approach, she determined that she was 'high' and elected to extend full flaps to land. While on the landing roll, she decided to retract the flaps and apply full power for takeoff. After becoming airborne, 'following an insufficient gain of altitude', she elected to land on the remaining runway. By this time, she was 3/4 of the way down the available runway. Subsequently, the airplane overran the runway surface, rolling through a three foot deep ditch and striking a fence. The length of runway 35 is 4,009 feet. The closest weather observation facility, located approximately 25 miles south east of the accident site, reported the winds to be from 180 degrees at 6 knots.
On May 24, 1997, at 1730 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161 airplane, N8351R, owned and operated by Delta Aeronautics of Fort Worth, Texas, was substantially damaged during landing at Bridgeport Municipal Airport, near Bridgeport, Texas. All 4 occupants, the private pilot and 3 passengers, were not injured. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal cross country flight. The flight originated from Meacham Field, Fort Worth, Texas, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident. The pilot reported, via NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that the purpose of the flight was to fly from Fort Worth to Bridgeport, and return. Upon arrival at Bridgeport, she flew over the airport and observed that the wind sock was "not functioning." She then elected to use the same traffic pattern established by another airplane that was already in the pattern (runway 35). She further reported that no one responded to her radio calls on the local Unicom frequency. On final approach, she determined that she was "high" and elected to extend full flaps to land. While on the landing roll, she decided to retract the flaps and apply full power for takeoff. After becoming airborne, "following an insufficient gain of altitude", she elected to land on the remaining runway. By this time, she was 3/4 of the way down the available runway. Subsequently, the airplane overran the runway surface, rolling through a three foot deep ditch and striking a fence. The propeller, nose and right main landing gear were damaged, and both wings sustained structural damage. The length of runway 35 at Bridgeport Municipal Airport is 4,009 feet. The closest weather observation facility is located at Meacham Field, approximately 25 miles south east of the accident site. The winds (at Meacham Field) were reported to be from 180 degrees at 6 knots.
The pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude. A contributing factor was a tailwind.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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