N5458NCessna 182R · 1980

On August 31, 2012, about 1610 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182R, N5458N, sustained substantial damage during a runway overrun while landing at St. Johns, Arizona. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which had originated from Dalhart, Texas, about 3 hours before the accident. A flight plan had not been filed.

The pilot said that he started his traffic pattern higher than recommended due to his high density altitude concerns. He said his final approach was longer than normal and his speed was fast. He put the flaps down full and raised the nose to bleed off more airspeed. A witness on the ground said the airplane passed the midfield intersection and was still quite high off the runway. The witness said the accident pilot appeared to be performing a go-around. But then the airplane descended to the runway and touched down with about 3/4 of its length behind him.

The pilot said that he realized that the airplane was high, fast, and long for a normal landing. He decided to go around. He applied full power; he reduced flaps by 10 degrees, and the airplane started to climb. However, the airplane then began to descend; "it was sort of mushing out of the sky." He reduced the engine power, landed, and began heavy braking. A witness on the ground said that he observed black smoke coming from the main landing gear tires after the airplane touched down. The airplane departed the end of the runway and went through the airport's perimeter fence. The airplane came to rest on its nose with the right wing strut bent, and both wings bent and wrinkled. After he exited the airplane, the pilot discovered that the flaps were fully retracted.

The airplane's manufacturer published a Pilot's Operating Handbook, which states that after the throttle is moved to full power for a go-around, the wing flaps shall be retracted from 40 to 20 degrees. The pilot stated that he had just purchased this particular airplane 4 days earlier. He said he practiced two full stop landings and takeoffs, but he did not practice any go-arounds. The pilot stated that the accident might have been avoided if he had practiced go-arounds with incremental raising of the flaps, or stopped the approach and exited the traffic pattern when he realized he was too high.