NYC96LA065

Factual narrative

On February 23, 1996, about 1510 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N9254X, was substantially damaged when it struck trees during an aborted landing at the Somerset Airport, Bedminster, New Jersey. The private pilot was not injured. The passenger received minor injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which departed from Vero Beach, Florida, at 1000. En route an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that he was receiving radar vectors for a straight-in-approach to runway 08. According to the pilot, "...Broke out at 700 MSL, located airport and turned left downwind for runway 30, turned base, and then final. Landed long on runway, braking action not good due to wet runway surface. Approximately 200 ft from end of runway, realized would not stop before end of runway. Did not want to damage front gear by overrunning paved surface. Applied full power, raised flaps one notch, but could not become airborne before impacting trees." The pilot indicated that there was no mechanical malfunction, and that the accident could have been prevented if he turned base farther out from the runway. At the time of the accident, the weather was reported as, ceiling 900 feet overcast and visibility 2 miles with fog. According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 30 was a 2,733 foot long, and 65 foot wide runway. The pilot had received radar vectors for a straight in approach to runway 08. About 700 feet above mean sea level, he broke out of the clouds, saw the airport, and then circled to land on runway 30, which was 2,733 feet long and 65 feet wide. The pilot reported that he landed long, and about 200 feet from the runway end, he realized he would not stop on the remaining runway, so he aborted the landing. He was unable to get airborne, the airplane overran the runway, and impacted trees. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions. He stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had turned base farther out from the runway. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12