N8568T

On July 9, 1997, at 2116 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182, N8568T, was substantially damaged when it collided with a fence and terrain during an aborted landing at a private strip in Springfield, Kentucky. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at the Lebanon-Springfield Airport (6I2), Springfield, Kentucky, at 2100. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a written statement, the pilot said that he was attempting to land in a field on his farm. He stated that upon touchdown he decided he was traveling "too fast" to complete a safe landing and applied power to clear a fence in the flight path. The pilot stated the airplane "clipped" the fence and landed in a tobacco patch. The pilot further stated, "The nose wheel broke off when it went across the rows of tobacco. [The] plane slid 100 feet on its nose , then it went over on its back."

In the Recommendation section of the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (How Could This Accident have Been Prevented), the pilot responded:

"I had a bad approach, I should have made a go around."

In a written statement, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) described the field as a 1,500 foot grass strip and that the pilot reported landing there "...many times in the past." He stated that the pilot's Medical certificate expired June 30, 1997. The Inspector further stated:

"...[the pilot] had about 238 total hours of flying time accumulated since 1983. He did not fly for about 10 years from 1984 to 1995 and took 6 instructional rides in the Cessna 182 with an instructor before flying solo in 1995. He took his bi-annual competency check on 9/29/95 and was due again in September 1997."

The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.