Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll due to contact with a corn crop that extended into the runway area. Contributing to the accident were the lack of accurate available information to the pilot regarding the runway condition, the pilot's failure to observe the intervening corn crop during the prelanding aerial fly-over, and his decision to land on a runway with a limited safety margin.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On September 5, 2015, about 1200 eastern daylight time, a Grumman American AA-5 airplane, N67296, impacted a corn crop during landing rollout on runway 1 (40 feet by 1,200 feet, turf) at the Spring Lake Airport (IN43), Pekin, Indiana. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The airplane was registered to the pilot-rated passenger and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The airplane was based at Sumner County Regional Airport (M33), Gallatin, Tennessee. The accident airport, IN43, was the intended destination.The pilot informed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors that they were planning to look at an ultralight aircraft that was for sale. The individual meeting the pilots reportedly informed them that the runway was 40 feet wide by 2,000 feet long. Upon arrival, the pilot stated that he overflew the runway northbound at 1,500 feet above ground level; the runway appeared to have been "mowed." The pilot subsequently established the airplane on a long final and crossed the approach threshold at 70 mph. As he was landing, he observed corn from the adjacent field protruding into the runway area. He elected to continue the landing rather than attempt a go-around at that point. The left wing ultimately struck the protruding corn crop and the left main wheel dropped off the grass runway, pulling the airplane into the corn. The pilot did not report any preimpact failures or malfunctions related to the airplane.
The pilot-rated passenger reported that a section of the adjoining corn crop extended about 6 feet into the left side of the runway area. Otherwise, the runway was "perfect" and appeared to have been recently mowed. He noted that the pilot conducted a "high pass" before landing in order to assess the runway condition, but they did not observe the intervening corn crop. The left wing subsequently impacted the corn during the landing rollout while the airplane was still traveling about 45 mph.
A postaccident examination of the runway by FAA inspectors determined that the basic landing area was approximately 40 feet wide by 1,200 feet long. However, about 375 feet from the approach/landing threshold, a portion of the crop from the adjacent corn field was planted into the landing area and reduced the available runway width to approximately 32 feet 6 inches. Damage to the corn crop in that area was consistent with contact from the accident airplane. The airplane wingspan was 31 feet 5 inches.
The Spring Lake Airport (IN43) is a private use airport and permission is required prior to landing.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN15LA417