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A C172 pilot made a precautionary landing to avoid thunderstorms and ran off the runway; damaging the aircraft and some runway lights.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 704271 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200607 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : arb.airport |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm Rain |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : arb.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 350 |
| ASRS Report | 704271 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | excursion : runway other anomaly other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
This VFR flight originated (and continued) in marginal WX; accompanied by airmets for severe thunderstorm activity along the route of flight. 2/3 of the way into the flight; ATC reported radar returns of level #1 and #2 storms directly ahead; and asked whether I wanted to divert for a precautionary landing. Amid increasing turbulence; I decided to land. The combination of turbulence; MVFR; the immediate threat of thunderstorms and the need for a precautionary landing increased my stress level; such that I did not properly control my speed or altitude in the traffic pattern. I landed 'high and hot' and skidded off the end of a wet runway; striking a REIL with my landing gear strut (breaking off the light). Minor damage to the aircraft (strut); no injuries. Launching into MVFR was not the problem; but continuing into a vicinity of thunderstorms was a causative factor; as it increased my stress level. My level of stress adversely affected my performance; as it caused me to forget what I knew to be the correct altitude/speed combinations for a successful landing. I could have avoided this event by either (or both): 1) avoiding a stressful situation to begin with (ie; execute precautionary landing sooner); or 2) as I notice my stress level rising; remember to think and problem solve (perhaps even by 'talking out loud' to the empty right seat next to me).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C172 PLT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG TO AVOID TSTMS AND RAN OFF THE RWY; DAMAGING THE ACFT AND SOME RWY LIGHTS.
Narrative: THIS VFR FLT ORIGINATED (AND CONTINUED) IN MARGINAL WX; ACCOMPANIED BY AIRMETS FOR SEVERE TSTM ACTIVITY ALONG THE RTE OF FLT. 2/3 OF THE WAY INTO THE FLT; ATC RPTED RADAR RETURNS OF LEVEL #1 AND #2 STORMS DIRECTLY AHEAD; AND ASKED WHETHER I WANTED TO DIVERT FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. AMID INCREASING TURB; I DECIDED TO LAND. THE COMBINATION OF TURB; MVFR; THE IMMEDIATE THREAT OF TSTMS AND THE NEED FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG INCREASED MY STRESS LEVEL; SUCH THAT I DID NOT PROPERLY CTL MY SPD OR ALT IN THE TFC PATTERN. I LANDED 'HIGH AND HOT' AND SKIDDED OFF THE END OF A WET RWY; STRIKING A REIL WITH MY LNDG GEAR STRUT (BREAKING OFF THE LIGHT). MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT (STRUT); NO INJURIES. LAUNCHING INTO MVFR WAS NOT THE PROB; BUT CONTINUING INTO A VICINITY OF TSTMS WAS A CAUSATIVE FACTOR; AS IT INCREASED MY STRESS LEVEL. MY LEVEL OF STRESS ADVERSELY AFFECTED MY PERFORMANCE; AS IT CAUSED ME TO FORGET WHAT I KNEW TO BE THE CORRECT ALT/SPD COMBINATIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL LNDG. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS EVENT BY EITHER (OR BOTH): 1) AVOIDING A STRESSFUL SITUATION TO BEGIN WITH (IE; EXECUTE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG SOONER); OR 2) AS I NOTICE MY STRESS LEVEL RISING; REMEMBER TO THINK AND PROB SOLVE (PERHAPS EVEN BY 'TALKING OUT LOUD' TO THE EMPTY R SEAT NEXT TO ME).
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.