Primary finding
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to either attain proper touchdown point for landing or go around while he had sufficient airspeed and runway remaining.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot said that this was the first time he had flown the airplane with three passengers. He said that he allowed the airplane to land about 700' from the departure end of the 3,040' runway. Also, he indicated that the brakes would not stop the airplane on the remaining runway. The airplane overran the end of the runway and went into a crop field.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 28, 1997, at 1330 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N55121, registered to Kal Aero, Inc., of Battle Creek, Michigan, and operated by a private pilot, experienced an overrun on runway 27 (3,040' x 110' dry turf), near Fowlerville, Michigan. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot and three passengers reported no injuries. The pilot said that this was the first time he had flown the airplane with three passengers and that the airplane touched down about 700' from the departure end of the runway and overran into a crop field. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Howell Michigan, at 1230. The pilot stated that the he allowed the airplane to land long when the airplane floated. He said he attempted to use the brakes, but they were ineffective in stopping the airplane on the runway remaining. -