AVALON, CA, USA
N1808H
PIPER PA-34-200T
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE MOUNTAIN TOP AIRPORT. HE EXECUTED A GO-AROUND ON THE INITIAL LANDING APPROACH. ON THE SECOND APPROACH, HE LANDED LONG AND FAST. THE PILOT APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING TO PREVENT THE AIRPLANE FROM GOING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND DOWN THE EMBANKMENT AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT GOING TO STOP ON THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE GROUND LOOP.
On March 11, 1993, at about 1105 hours Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T, N1808H, landed long and overran runway 22, at Catalina Airport (AVX), Avalon, California. The pilot was completing a visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, operated by South Bay Aviation, Torrance, California, sustained substantial damage. Neither the certificated airline transport pilot nor his two passengers was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Torrance Municipal Airport (TOA), Torrance, California, at 1044 hours. The pilot told Safety Board investigators in a telephone interview conducted on March 11, 1993, that the initial approach to runway 22 was high and he elected to go-around. On the second approach, at 90 knots indicated airspeed, he landed long. He stated the braking was poor when he applied the brakes and then the left brake "locked." The airplane swerved to the left and the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid off the end of the runway. The operator reported that the pilot told him that the landing was "fast and high" and elected not to go-around. He "locked-up the brakes" but realized that the airplane would not stop within the runway environment. The pilot intentionally "ground-looped" the airplane to prevent it from overrunning the runway and go down the embankment at the end of the runway. The left main gear collapsed during the ground loop.
THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH, EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED, AND FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPORT IS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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