NTSB Factual Report

On May 14, 2003, at 1800 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna R172K, N9908V, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it ran off the runway while landing on runway 18 (6,005 feet by 100 feet, concrete) at Kirksville Regional Airport (IRK), Kirksville, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The local flight departed about 1700.

Around the time of departure, the pilot reported conditions as scattered clouds and winds from 270 degrees at 9 knots. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, the pilot observed a "large storm cell developing ten to twelve miles north northwest over the city of Kirksville." The pilot monitored the movement of the cell as he executed touch and goes on runway 18. According to the pilot, the cell and cold front were moving slowly and he did not anticipate its arrival at the airport prior to the conclusion of his flight.

The pilot reported that as he entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern he experienced "extreme vertical turbulence." The pilot reported great difficulty flying the aircraft. The pilot continued with the landing and upon touchdown, he was unable to stop the aircraft before the end of the runway. He reported, "I could see that I would be unable to stop by the time I reached the end of the runway. I allowed the aircraft to veer off to the west side of the runway because there were no obstructions there." The aircraft left the runway 300 feet from the end. An approach lighting system was located 400 feet from the end of the runway.

The pilot reported the nose gear collapsed and causing the left wing to strike terrain as it stopped. The pilot reported the propeller also struck the terrain while the engine was at idle. The right elevator and trim tab were damaged.

In his report the pilot stated, "In hindsight, it might have been better to either continue to the next field at Macon, landed and waited for the front passage or to do a go around and turn back into the wind. With the severe turbulence, I had serious doubts about maintaining altitude and chose to take the action I took."

Weather observations reported by the IRK automated surface observing system (ASOS) were:

At 1655 cdt, wind 270 degrees magnetic at 9 knots.

At 1755 cdt, wind 320 degrees magnetic at 23 knots, gusting to 38 knots.

The pilot reported that he had veered off of the runway "under positive control of the aircraft." He reported that he had performed such an action to avoid colliding with the approach lighting system off of the end of the runway. The pilot noted he steered the aircraft into the "grassy area to the right of runway 18 because it contained no obstacles".

The airport manager reported that the aircraft "landed about 2/3 of the way down the runway." According to the airport manager, the distance from the aircraft's position when it left the runway to the end of the runway was 300 feet. The distance from the aircraft's position when it left the runway to the approach lighting system was 700 ft. The approach lighting system was 400 feet from the end of runway 18. The distance from the aircraft's position when it left the runway to the threshold lights was 310 feet. The distance from the aircraft's position when it left the runway to the VASI lights was 475 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper in-flight decision to land with a tailwind and failure to perform an aborted landing, resulting in the pilots decision to control the aircraft off of the right edge of the runway to avoid obstructions. Contributing factors were the tailwind, the sudden wind shift, the turbulence, and the obstacles.