SEA01LA012 · Cessna 172P

The private pilot reported that upon arrival in the area of the private 2,700 foot long, gravel airstrip, he executed a descending 360-degree turn to lose altitude, and then lined up to land to the southeast under light and variable wind conditions. He reported sequentially lowering the flaps to 30 degrees on the approach and then experienced a rapid descent rate. The touchdown was reported as within the first third of the runway at 60 knots. He then applied braking but felt the aircraft was not decelerating adequately. He then applied heavier braking during which the brakes locked and the aircraft continued off the upwind end of the runway impacting trees. A commuter pilot who landed at the airstrip about one hour later reported, 'Skid marks were present in the gravel approximately the last 500 feet of the runway to where the aircraft was resting in the trees' and the airstrip was 'not for the inexperienced' pilot. The aircraft flight manual for the Cessna 172P provided a 'Short Field' landing distance planning table which showed that at sea level and a weight of 2,400 pounds (maximum gross weight) and 10 degrees Centigrade, a ground roll distance of 530 feet was expected with a total distance of 1,265 feet to clear a 50 foot obstacle. The landing criteria were based upon no wind, flaps 30 degrees, power off, and maximum braking on a level, dry, paved runway. No mechanical malfunction of the aircraft's brakes or wheels was noted following the accident.

Verbatim NTSB analysis and probable cause from the NTSB dataset