Sodus Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sodus, New York 14551
Friday, August 2, 1996 20:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and passenger flew a local flight from a private airstrip and had returned to land. On final approach to the north runway, the pilot notice rain on the windshield. The pilot flared high and the airplane touched down about halfway down the 2,200 foot wet grass runway. The airplane skidded on the wet grass and ran off the end of the runway and struck trees. Winds at an airport about 35 miles to the west of the private strip were reported from 190 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot obtained his private pilot certificate in 1983, and after a 13 year lay off from flying, had flown about 7 hours during the previous 90 days, and 1 hour in the past 30 days. His estimated total flight experience was 64 hours, of which 15 were as a pilot-in-command.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in insufficient runway to stop the airplane, and the subsequent overrun. Factors in the accident were the wet grass runway surface, and the pilot's lack of recent flying experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2020
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SODUS
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14551
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SODUS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 420
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2054 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ROC
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 14000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1205
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2120
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:18AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N612FL
NTSB Number NYC96LA162
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 3 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2890
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD J. BELDUE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5250 BRICK SCHOOL HOUSE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City NORTH ROSE
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14516
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1915
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --