N2106D

On October 3, 2005, about 1140 Pacific daylight time a Beech D35, N2106D, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, ran off the runway at Hobby Field, Creswell, Oregon, and collided with the terrain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight departed from Cottage Grove, Oregon, about 10 minutes prior to the accident.

During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that he set-up for a landing on runway 15. The pilot stated that the touchdown was normal, however, the aircraft was slow to react to the application of brakes. The pilot reduced the throttle to idle and maintained a straight tracking on the runway. Toward the end of the landing roll, the pilot reported that the brakes became effective, however, the aircraft ran off the end of the runway and traveled over the terrain for about 100 yards before coming to rest. The main landing gear was damaged, the nosed gear collapsed and the left wing displayed buckling along the surface and was pulled aft at the wing root.

The pilot reported that the aircraft had just been signed off for its annual inspection. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported by the pilot at the time of the accident.

A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Hillsboro, Oregon, Flight Standards District Office, responded to the accident site and reported that a witness observed the aircraft landing from north to south. The witness stated that "the airplane appeared to be traveling too fast towards the end of the runway to stop by the end." The witness noted a cloud of blue smoke coming from the wheels before he lost sight of the aircraft just before it ran off the end of the runway. Skid marks on the runway indicated that the aircraft touched down long about 600-700 feet from the end of the runway. Inspection of the landing gear brakes indicated that the brake pads on the left side were worn beyond their limits.