This September 2009 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: Sibley, Iowa. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land in calm winds. The airplane touched down more than one third of the way down the runway at about 105 knots with 10° of flaps. Normal landing speed is about 75 knots. The pilot realized that the speed was too fast and performed an aborted landing by retracting flaps and adding full power. The airplane did not become airborne. Instead, it hit a traffic sign.
Probable cause: The pilot’s long and fast landing and her delayed decision to execute a go-around.
For more information: NTSB.gov. NTSB Identification: CEN09CA599
CORRECTION: A recent article concerning a light airplane running off the runway, named Mr.Vern Harrison,56, as the pilot. The pilot was,in fact, his mother, Mrs.Verna Harrison 86, a retired school teacher. We apologize to Mr. Harrison and our readers for the error. Editor – Sibley Weekly
Recent article in the Sibley Weekly:
PILOT ATTEMPTS LANDING – WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT!
A local private pilot,Vern Harrison,56, who had a record of “depth perception” problems on his flight medical, ran off the runway while attemping to land. In the process,ironically,he hit a “caution – low flying aircraft”sign in the incident.
When asked by an FAA official about the “flap” setting of only 10 degrees, he explained that he must have forgot to retract them after takeoff. The Piper Cheokee, in landing configuration, normally uses 20-30 degree settings.
Both FAA and NTSB officials theorize the “probable cause” was a total lack of “situation awareness”. The MD and flight medical examiner who issued Harrison his last medical could not be reached for comment.