| Crash location | 38.018889°N, 86.692500°W |
| Nearest city | Tell City, IN
37.951445°N, 86.767766°W 6.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N3629Q |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 19 Sep 2012 |
| Aircraft type | Beechcraft A23-24 |
| Additional details: | None |
On September 19, 2012, about 0910 central daylight time, a Beechcraft model A23-24 airplane, N3629Q, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing at Perry County Municipal Airport (TEL), Tell City, Indiana. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated from Breckinridge County Airport (I93), Hardinsburg, Kentucky, about 0900.
The pilot reported that he made a straight-in approach to runway 31 (4,400 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) after a short flight of about 10 minutes. He stated that there was no appreciable wind during the landing attempt with the wing flaps fully extended. He reported the airplane landed about 1/3 down the runway. After touchdown he retracted the wing flaps and applied brake pressure in an attempt to slow the airplane. He reported that the airplane did not seem to decelerate normally during the landing roll because of the downslope of the runway. The pilot stated that although there were no anomalies with the airplane’s brake system he elected to abort the landing. His intention was to return and land on runway 13 in order to take advantage of the runway’s upslope. He reported that as the airplane passed midfield he increased engine power for the aborted landing and that the engine was operating normally at takeoff power. He stated that although the airplane accelerated to liftoff speed while still on the runway, it did not clear a 10-foot high airport security fence located off the end of the runway. Both wings were substantially damaged during the accident sequence.
The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, although he did not use maximum braking during the landing attempt, the brakes had functioned normally while taxiing and during an engine run-up at the departure airport.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-site investigation. Examination of the runway overrun area showed tire tracks consistent with the tire width of the accident airplane. The airplane had impacted a chain-link fence located about 340 feet off the end of the runway. The airplane continued then another 30 feet before coming to rest with the chain-link fence entangled around the nose landing gear. The postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airplane brake system that would have prevented normal operation.
The closest weather observing station was located at the Huntingburg Airport (HNB), about 21 miles northwest of the accident site. At 0915, the HNB automated surface observing system reported: wind 160 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 14 degrees Celsius, dew point 7 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of mercury.
According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the Beechcraft model A23-24 airplane, the landing ground roll at maximum gross weight on a paved, level, and dry runway with no headwind and using maximum braking is about 750 feet. The POH does not provide landing distances for runways that have a downslope; however, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) research indicated that ground roll increases 10-percent with a 2-percent downslope. According to available runway survey data, runway 31 at KTEL has a 1.3-percent downslope. Therefore, the landing roll distance without a headwind and using maximum braking would be expected to be less than 825 feet. CAA research also indicated that ground roll increases 20-percent with a tailwind of 10-percent of the airplane takeoff speed. The POH listed a liftoff speed of 65 knots. A tailwind of 6.5 knots would be expected to increase the landing distance by about 165 feet. Therefore, the calculated landing ground roll on a 2-percent runway downslope, with a 6.5 knot tailwind, and using maximum braking would be expected to be less than 1,000 feet.
The pilot’s improper touchdown point during landing and the resultant runway excursion during the aborted landing.