Runway excursion in a PA-28-180.

Attributes
ACN	309635
Time
Date	199507
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 6nc0
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 572 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	309635
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In july, after a short pleasure flight in cherokee 180 with 3 passenger, I was returning to cox-grantham airport, a private airport with a 2800 ft grass landing strip. Rainfall in excess of 14 inches during the month of june had resulted in the grass being uncut and several low spots holding water. I landed long to avoid standing water and immediately on touchdown aircraft began hydroplaning. I cut power and applied brakes with no response. Aircraft seemed to gain, rather than lose speed. At the end of runway aircraft had not lost enough speed to bring it to a stop. Approximately 50 ft beyond end of runway is a 3 ft deep ditch, 4 ft embankment and major highway (at right angle to runway). A utility pole and utility wires are at the edge of the highway. Because of passenger load, fuel on board, air temperature and humidity I did not believe I could successfully make a go around. I chose to try to avoid entering the highway by turning the aircraft to the right and attempt to stop the aircraft by striking the right wing against the utility pole. As the wing struck the pole, the aircraft spun 180 degrees and came to a halt with the left wingtip about 1 ft from the shoulder of the highway. There was no injury to myself or any passenger, no propeller strike, no fuel tank rupture, right wing was damaged but remained attached to the fuselage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY EXCURSION IN A PA-28-180.

Narrative: IN JULY, AFTER A SHORT PLEASURE FLT IN CHEROKEE 180 WITH 3 PAX, I WAS RETURNING TO COX-GRANTHAM ARPT, A PVT ARPT WITH A 2800 FT GRASS LNDG STRIP. RAINFALL IN EXCESS OF 14 INCHES DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE HAD RESULTED IN THE GRASS BEING UNCUT AND SEVERAL LOW SPOTS HOLDING WATER. I LANDED LONG TO AVOID STANDING WATER AND IMMEDIATELY ON TOUCHDOWN ACFT BEGAN HYDROPLANING. I CUT PWR AND APPLIED BRAKES WITH NO RESPONSE. ACFT SEEMED TO GAIN, RATHER THAN LOSE SPD. AT THE END OF RWY ACFT HAD NOT LOST ENOUGH SPD TO BRING IT TO A STOP. APPROX 50 FT BEYOND END OF RWY IS A 3 FT DEEP DITCH, 4 FT EMBANKMENT AND MAJOR HIGHWAY (AT R ANGLE TO RWY). A UTILITY POLE AND UTILITY WIRES ARE AT THE EDGE OF THE HIGHWAY. BECAUSE OF PAX LOAD, FUEL ON BOARD, AIR TEMP AND HUMIDITY I DID NOT BELIEVE I COULD SUCCESSFULLY MAKE A GAR. I CHOSE TO TRY TO AVOID ENTERING THE HIGHWAY BY TURNING THE ACFT TO THE R AND ATTEMPT TO STOP THE ACFT BY STRIKING THE R WING AGAINST THE UTILITY POLE. AS THE WING STRUCK THE POLE, THE ACFT SPUN 180 DEGS AND CAME TO A HALT WITH THE L WINGTIP ABOUT 1 FT FROM THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO MYSELF OR ANY PAX, NO PROP STRIKE, NO FUEL TANK RUPTURE, R WING WAS DAMAGED BUT REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.