N28693

On November 21, 2003, at 1125 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N28693, collided with a ditch following a loss of directional control while landing on runway 31(4,000 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt), at the Bong Airport (SUW), Superior, Wisconsin. The pilot was not injured. The airplane received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from the Crystal Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota, at 1020.

The pilot reported he "cut power" before landing and the airplane touched down at an airspeed of 80 to 85 knots. He reported that after a brief landing roll, he tapped the brakes and the airplane pulled to the left toward the grass. The pilot reported he pulled back on the control yoke and applied light brakes as the airplane continued toward the grass. Upon seeing a drainage ditch that was perpendicular to the runway, the pilot applied power and pulled back in an attempt to clear the ditch. The airplane contacted the ditch at which time the landing gear collapsed.

An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Minneapolis, Minnesota, Flight Standards District Office inspected the airplane's brakes following the accident and was unable to detect any mechanical failure/malfunction. The inspector reported that there were skid marks on the runway which matched the track of the right main and nose gears. He stated that there were no tracks from the left main gear until the airplane had traveled into the grass.

Winds reported at SUW, 10 minutes prior to the accident, were from 270 degrees at 7 knots.

The pilot made the following recommendation as to how the accident could have been avoided. "Reduce landing touchdown speed, and after landing allow aircraft to runout and burn off speed naturally before applying brakes."