N51898

On April 27, 2003, about 0910 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N51898, registered to Wing Hirata Inc., and operated by an individual, collided with trees during the landing roll at Lantana Airport, Lantana, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private-rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the same airport at 0815.

According to the pilot, he had been performing maneuvers away from the airport, and elected to depart the practice area due to low ceilings and high winds. He returned to the departure airport and made three landing attempts to runway 03. The pilot stated that on the third attempt he had extended the traffic pattern and lined up with the runway. He said his "ground speed was too fast and...altitude was too high." He "slipped" the airplane to lose altitude, but by the time he flared and touched down, the airplane was "about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way down the runway, too late for a go-around, and...still moving fast." He turned off the runway to the right, but was "unable" to control the airplane's direction, overran the runway, departed the runway at the departure end, and impacted with trees. An examination of the airframe and engine after the accident did not reveal any discrepancies.