N3066G

On June 9, 2001, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N3066G, registered to an individual, over ran the runway and collided with a telephone pole at Bennettsville, South Carolina, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the same day, about 1215.

The pilot stated he approached the 2,300-foot long runway 12 at 66 knots, using 40 degrees of flap. He noticed the airplane floated farther in ground effect than he thought it should, but he thought the landing was okay. By the time he realized he did not have enough runway to stop, it was too late to abort. The airplane went off the end of the runway and crashed.

Witnesses stated they observed the pilot make one approach to runway 12 and then perform a go-around. On the second approach the airplane touched down much farther down the runway than it should have. The airplane ran off the end of the runway at about 40-50 knots, bounced on a highway, and then collided with a telephone pole, where the right wing separated. The airplane skidded to the right on the fuselage, and came to rest in the parking lot of a restaurant.