Piper PA-28-140 N199 accident near Coolin, Idaho

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate glide path, which led to a runway excursion and collision with objects.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that prior to arrival at the airport he received a calm wind report from a nearby airport. After turning right base for landing, he realized that he was too close in to the runway, so he reduced the power to idle, turned a 0.5-nautical-mile final approach, and added three notches of flaps. Prior to touchdown, he realized that he was running out of runway, and that it was too late to go around due to obstacles (trees) at the end of the runway. The airplane subsequently touched down, and the pilot retracted the flaps, turned off the ignition, and applied the brakes. The pilot tried to ground loop the airplane, but the landing gear struck one of the horizontal log railings at the end of the runway. The airplane bounced onto and skidded across an asphalt road and into some scrub brush and saplings. The left wing and all three landing gear separated. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR13CA273 for the full record.