Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's not attaining a recovery from a bounced landing. Factors were high obstructions, and the pilot's intentional precautionary landing on rough/uneven and soft terrain.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
On landing the airplane bounced twice after which the pilot attempted to abort the landing. The pilot feared that the airplane would not climb over trees in the departure path of the airplane and performed a precautionary landing off the runway on rough, uneven,and soft terrain.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 19, 1995, at 1635 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182P, N52830, registered to Eagle Air, Inc., of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing following an aborted landing attempt from runway 8 (5,500' x 100' (dry/asphalt) at French Lick, Indiana. The pilot and three passengers reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Kalamazoo, Michigan, at 1600. In his written statement, the pilot said the airplane bounced twice on landing and he attempted to abort the landing; however when he thought that the airplane would not climb over tall obstacles in the departure path, he elected land the airplane on rough/uneven and soft and terrain off the runway. -