NTSB Factual Report

On August 30, 2002, at 0815 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N5742F, operated by a private pilot collided with trees during a landing roll on runway 27 (2,243 feet by 300 feet, damp grass) at the Elwood Airport (3I1), Elwood, Indiana. The trees were located at the end of the runway. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from the Anderson Municipal Airport (AID), Anderson, Indiana, at 0800.

The pilot reported that prior to takeoff, he listened to the automated weather observing system (AWOS) at AID and the winds were reported as being from 110 degrees at approximately 8 knots. The pilot reported that during the flight, the winds seemed to be out of the south. He reported he entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 27 and continued to "sense a slight southerly wind." The pilot reported, I touched down, with 20 deg. flaps as IAS dropped down thru 70 mph to 65 mph. I remember braking hard, plane turning to left and not yet reaching the bump about midway of runway." He reported that he has no recall of what happened after that.

The airplane continued off the end of the runway where it contacted trees. Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office in Indianapolis reported tire tracks were visible in the grass. These tracks began about half way down the runway and continued to where N5742F came to a stop.

N5742F departed AID along with 4 other airplanes that were all en route to 3l1. The pilots of the first two airplanes to arrive at 3I1 stated the windsock and tetrahedron indicated the winds were out of the east, so they landed on runway 09. N5742F was the third airplane to land. The pilot of the fourth airplane reported that the pilot of N5742F made one go-around prior to the accident landing on runway 27 in order to avoid traffic that was landing on runway 09. This fourth pilot reported that even though the windsock indicated the winds favored runway 09, he followed N5742F in landing on runway 27 to avoid conflicting traffic. He reported the winds were stronger then he thought, his landing was longer than anticipated and he had to use "hard" braking in order to get his airplane stopped. The fifth pilot to land reported the windsock and tetrahedron indicated the winds were directly out of the east so he landed on runway 09. He stated that while he was on downwind, he saw N5742F landing downwind and the airplane was "too fast." This pilot also reported that the grass was wet.

Winds reported at AID, located 13 nautical miles southeast of 3I1, at 0850 were from 090 degrees at 10 knots. Winds reported at Muncie, Indiana, located 20 nautical miles east of 3I1, at 0821 were from 100 degrees at 8 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's misjudgment of speed/distance and his failure to perform a go-around. The pilot's inaccurate evaluation of the wind, a tailwind, selection of the wrong runway, and wet grass are contributing factors.