SULLY, IA, USA
N9315W
Piper PA-28-235
The pilot reported that due to obstacles at the approach end of the runway, he touched down approximately 1/3 the way down the 2,100 foot wet grass airstrip. He reported that he raised the flaps and applied the brakes, but the airplane was not going to stop on the remaining runway so he initiated a go around. He stated that he applied full power and lowered the flaps; however, he inadvertantly put the flaps in the full down position. The pilot kept the airplane on the ground until nearing the end of the runway to avoid stalling after takeoff. Just after lift off the right wing contacted a fence post near the end of the runway and the airplane came to rest in rough terrain.
On June 11, 2000, at 1530 central daylight time (cdt), a Piper PA-28-235, N9315W, operated by a private pilot collided with a barbed wire fence and the terrain during an initial takeoff following an aborted landing. The landing and takeoff were being performed on runway 26 (2,130 feet by 120 feet, wet grass) at the Sully Municipal Airport, Sully, Iowa. The pilot and passenger both received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated at Independence, Iowa, at 1500 cdt. The pilot reported that while on final approach he tried to keep the airspeed at 80 miles per hour. He stated that there were tall trees at the approach end of the runway and "I think that due to watching the speed and clearing the obstacles on the east end of the runway, we touched down about 1/3 down the runway." The pilot reported that upon touchdown he raised the flaps and began to use the brakes. He continued to state that the airstrip was wet due to the light rain that was falling and the airplane was not slowing down when he applied the brakes. The pilot reported, "We started to skid a little to the northwest and the plane was not slowing down enough to stop before we ran out of runway." The pilot reported that he decided to initiate a "go around" at which time he added full power and applied the flaps. The pilot reported that he inadvertently applied "full flaps" when he initiated the go around at a point 2/3 to 3/4 the way down the runway. The pilot reported that he kept the airplane on the runway until nearing the end of the runway so it wouldn't stall on takeoff. He reported, "Right at the end I saw a few fence post and the barbed wire fence. The bottom of the plane struck the fence and we came down in the bean field. The plane came to a fast stop when it hit a four to five foot area of the field that was heavily eroded." Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the right wing contacted one of the fence posts. The nose and right main landing gears were torn from the airplane. The left wing was bent forward into the fuselage and left side of the cockpit/fuselage area was buckled.
The pilot inadvertently applied full flaps during the aborted landing and was not able to gain enough altitude to clear a fence post at the end of the airstrip. Factors associated with the accident were the trees at the approach end of the airstrip, the pilot initially landed long, the grass airstrip was wet, and the fence post which the airplane contacted.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
