N9304Y

On June 23, 2000, at 1210 mountain daylight time, a Beech M35, N9304Y, sustained substantial damage when it departed the end of the runway and struck a blast fence during landing roll at Los Alamos, New Mexico. The private pilot in command, and the certified flight instructor check pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this biennial flight review operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Los Alamos at 1100.

According to the pilot, after departing Los Alamos, he and the check pilot flew to Espanola, New Mexico, where he did some air work (slow flight, unusual attitudes, steep turns, etc.). Then they flew to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they did some touch and go landings. After leaving Santa Fe, they returned to Los Alamos, for a full stop landing on runway 27.

In his statement, the pilot said he landed "long and fast" at Los Alamos and went off the end of the runway where the airplane struck a blast fence. According to the pilot, and later verified with the insurance adjuster, the aircraft was destroyed.

Los Alamos Airport runway 27 is 7,171 feet above mean seal level, 5,500 feet in length, and 130 feet wide. The temperature at the airport during the accident time frame was 72 degrees Fahrenheit, (42 degrees above standard). Density altitude was computed to be 9,300 feet. Under those conditions true airspeed was approximately 27 knots faster than indicated airspeed. The wind was from 040 at 5 knots, which was a quartering tailwind computed at 4 knots tailwind component. Thus, the approach ground speed was computed to be 31 knots faster than the indicated airspeed.