Small aircraft pilot went off the end of a 6067 ft runway while landing at tlh.

Attributes
ACN	473386
Time
Date	200005
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tlh.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tlh.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	473386
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	excursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I entered final for runway 18 at tlh, slightly high. Initial touchdown was at proper speed but resulted in a skip or ballooning situation with 1/2 of the runway remaining. It took longer than normal to settle the aircraft on the runway. Upon settling, I retracted flaps and applied maximum braking. Seeing the runway end lights approaching, I feathered propellers in order to prevent damage to the aircraft and airport lighting. The aircraft stopped past the runway's end undamaged. Contributing factors: 1) darkness, 2) unfamiliar airport, 3) lack of total time in type, 4) length of flight that day. Decisions: the decision to overrun versus attempting a takeoff was correct considering the area beyond the departure end was unfamiliar and in darkness. Actions: mainly, feathering propellers saved damage to propellers and airport lighting. Perception: I failed to perceive that the time required to land the airplane after 'ballooning would not leave adequate runway to stop the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT WENT OFF THE END OF A 6067 FT RWY WHILE LNDG AT TLH.

Narrative: I ENTERED FINAL FOR RWY 18 AT TLH, SLIGHTLY HIGH. INITIAL TOUCHDOWN WAS AT PROPER SPD BUT RESULTED IN A SKIP OR BALLOONING SIT WITH 1/2 OF THE RWY REMAINING. IT TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO SETTLE THE ACFT ON THE RWY. UPON SETTLING, I RETRACTED FLAPS AND APPLIED MAX BRAKING. SEEING THE RWY END LIGHTS APCHING, I FEATHERED PROPS IN ORDER TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND ARPT LIGHTING. THE ACFT STOPPED PAST THE RWY'S END UNDAMAGED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) DARKNESS, 2) UNFAMILIAR ARPT, 3) LACK OF TOTAL TIME IN TYPE, 4) LENGTH OF FLT THAT DAY. DECISIONS: THE DECISION TO OVERRUN VERSUS ATTEMPTING A TKOF WAS CORRECT CONSIDERING THE AREA BEYOND THE DEP END WAS UNFAMILIAR AND IN DARKNESS. ACTIONS: MAINLY, FEATHERING PROPS SAVED DAMAGE TO PROPS AND ARPT LIGHTING. PERCEPTION: I FAILED TO PERCEIVE THAT THE TIME REQUIRED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE AFTER 'BALLOONING WOULD NOT LEAVE ADEQUATE RWY TO STOP THE ACFT.

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.