Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper use of the brakes and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing rollout.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the pilot, he arrived from the northeast and entered the extended right base leg for Runway 18, a 2,160-foot-long asphalt runway. The winds were reported as 3 knots from the south. Prior to being established on the base leg, he had set full flaps and lowered the landing gear. He said that by the time he turned onto final, the airplane "may have seemed slightly high, speed was good and descent rate appeared good." He further stated that while he landed the airplane on the first half of the runway, he perhaps floated a little bit and that "the landing was a little further than I anticipated." The landing rollout was good until he reached "a slight mound in the runway" that created an optical illusion of the runway's end being closer than it was. He then locked the brakes and skidded off the runway into the brush.
Source record
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he arrived from the northeast and entered an extended right base for landing to the south at 1,700 feet msl (pattern altitude). The winds were reported as 3 knots from the south. Prior to being established on the base segment, he had input full flaps and lowered the landing gear. He said that by the time he turned onto final, the airplane "may have seemed slightly high, speed was good and descent rate appeared good." He landed the airplane on the first half of the runway, but that the airplane floated a little bit with the landing a little further than he had anticipated. The roll out was good until he reached a slight mound in the runway that created an optical illusion of the runway's end being closer than it was. He locked the brakes and skidded off the runway into the brush.