Preliminary Report: Twinjet Crashes on Approach in Germany
Cessna 750 Citation X, Egelsbach, Germany, March 1, 2012–While on approach to Egelsbach Airport at the conclusion of a flight from Linz, Austria, the U.S.-registered twinjet crashed and burned in a wooded area, killing the two crewmembers and the three passengers. German accident investigators recovered the Citation X’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorders for analysis.
Preliminary Report: German Turboprop Misses Runway in Snow
Daher-Socata TBM700, Cuers, France. Feb 10, 2012–The single-engine turboprop encountered decreased visibility due to a heavy snowstorm while on VFR final approach to Runway 15 at Cuers/Pierrefeu Airport in the south of France. The flight had originated from Denmark. The German-registered TBM was destroyed when it landed hard beside the snow-covered runway. The three occupants of the aircraft were uninjured. The French government is investigating the accident.
Preliminary Report: Medevac Jet Damaged after Aborted Takeoff
Bombardier Learjet 55, Brooksville, Fla. Feb. 13, 2012–As the air ambulance-equipped twinjet accelerated down the runway en route to a patient pickup, the pilot noticed it was pulling to the left and decided to abort the takeoff after using 2,000 feet of the 7,000-foot-long runway. The Learjet veered off the left side of the runway, crossed a 100-foot-wide stabilized surface border and stopped approximately 150 yards from the runway edge when its nose gear collapsed. The aircraft suffered minor damage. The three people onboard were uninjured.
Preliminary Report: Twinjet Makes Muddy Stop
Cessna 525A CJ2, Napa, Calif. Feb. 11, 2012–At the conclusion of an early-morning flight from Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Palm Springs, the CJ2 overran the runway at Napa County Airport and stopped in mud. The four people on board were uninjured, and the airplane was not damaged.
Preliminary Report: Turboprop Crashes on Takeoff
Daher-Socata TBM700, Madison, Wis., Feb. 10, 2012–The turboprop single crashed on airport property following a loss of control just after takeoff on a Part 91 morning flight from Dane County Regional Airport. According to a witness, the TBM pitched up and then nosed down after it departed the runway. The pilot and two passengers suffered minor injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged.
Preliminary Report: Tire Blowout on Landing
Embraer Phenom 100, Campo Grande, Brazil, Feb. 3, 2012–After landing at Campo Grande International Airport, the Brazilian-registered light twinjet suffered an anti-skid brake failure that resulted in the rupture of the right main gear tire. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. Brazil’s Aeronautical Accident Prevention and Investigation Center (Cenipa) is investigating the accident.
Preliminary Report: Turboprop Makes Emergency Landing
Hawker Beechcraft King Air E90, Moline, Ill., Feb. 17, 2012–While on final approach to Quad Cities International Airport, the pilot notified ATC that there was a problem with the turboprop twin’s landing gear and declared an emergency. The pilot then deployed the gear manually. After circling for half an hour he made a safe landing with no injuries to the seven people on board.
Preliminary Report: Lamp Strike on Takeoff
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, Manaus, Brazil, Feb. 28, 2012–The turboprop single was substantially damaged and its pilot killed when it crashed after failing to gain altitude and striking a lamp post on take off from Manaus’ Aeroporto Flores. The ferry flight, operated by Cleiton Taxi Aereo, was destined for nearby Eduardo Gomes International Airport. The Brazilian government is investigating the accident.
Preliminary Report: Helicopter Crashes during Rescue Mission
Bell 407, Moran Junction, Wyo. Feb., 15, 2012–The light single-engine helicopter crashed after striking trees during a search-and-rescue (SAR) mission in the Bridger Teton National Forest. The helicopter was operated by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office. The pilot was searching for the scene of a snowmobile accident when the helicopter yawed to the left, began “spinning rapidly” and crashed, causing substantial damage to the 407. One rescue worker died after he was removed from the wreckage, while the other SAR member and the pilot suffered serious injuries.
Preliminary Report: Short Landing Damages Turboprop
Hawker Beechcraft Beech 99, Anchorage, Alaska, Feb. 2, 2012–The Beech 99 was substantially damaged when it struck a snowbank at the approach end of 4,000-foot Runway 07 at Merrill Field Airport at the conclusion of a Part 135 flight from Port Alsworth. The pilot mentioned encountering turbulence on approach. The aircraft suffered structural damage to the landing gear to fuselage attachments and left wing flap. The pilot and six passengers were uninjured.
Preliminary Report: Learjets Damaged in Runway Departures
Bombardier Learjet 35A, Jefferson City, Mo. Feb. 13, 2012–Upon landing at Jefferson City Memorial Airport at the conclusion of an early-evening flight from Minneapolis Flying Cloud Airport, the light twinjet suffered minor damage when it ran off the end of the runway. The sole-occupant pilot was unharmed.
Bombardier Learjet 35A, Anchorage, Alaska, March 5, 2012–At the end of a short Part 135 night flight from Kenai to Anchorage’s Ted Stevens International Airport, the air ambulance-equipped twinjet slid off a runway at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and struck a snowbank. According to the NTSB investigator in charge of the accident, the crew reported icing on approach and activated the alcohol-based windshield de-icing system, which proved ineffective. On rollout, the crew was unable to see as the Learjet veered off the runway to the right and became stuck in a four-foot-high snowbank 50 feet beyond the runway’s edge. The aircraft suffered damage to its right wing and landing gear. No injuries were reported by the two crew, three medical workers or the patient.
Final Reports: Falcon Encounters Too Much Crosswind
Dassault Falcon 10, Sellersburg, Ind., March. 23, 2011–The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing in strong and gusty winds was the cause of the Falcon’s departure from the runway, according to the NTSB. The aircraft, operated by Aviation Transport Solutions, suffered substantial damage to its landing gear, wing spars and forward pressure bulkhead, but neither of the two pilots nor the one passenger aboard the Part 91 flight was injured.
The Falcon 10 drifted off the runway during a night landing at Clark Regional Airport. It had departed from Butler County Regional Airport in Hamilton, Ohio, on an IFR flight plan, and the crew circumnavigated numerous thunderstorms during the 50-minute flight. As the Falcon approached within 25 nm of Sellersburg, the captain and first officer canceled their IFR flight plan and proceeded VFR. Upon checking the Clark Awos, the crew noted the wind was broadcast as 310 at 19, gusting 27.
At touchdown, the aircraft encountered a wind gust that raised the left wing, which the captain quickly attempted to control with left roll control inputs. The aircraft became airborne again and drifted off the right side of the pavement, touching down in the grassy area alongside the runway. The captain regained control of the aircraft and brought it to a stop in the grass. An ASOS weather observation taken at Louisville Bowman Field, approximately 10 miles south of Sellersburg, a few minutes after the accident reported clear skies, visibility 10 miles and wind 310 at 22 gusting 29. The Bowman ASOS had recorded a wind gust from the northwest of nearly 40 knots 30 minutes before the accident.
Final Reports: Controller Blamed for Near Miss at Gulfport
Cessna 172, Embraer ERJ145, Gulfport, Miss., June 19, 2011–An air traffic controller at Gulfport, Miss. tower allowed two aircraft to fly within 300 feet of each other after he cleared them both for takeoff on intersecting runways within a few seconds of each other. The NTSB found the controller at fault for not ensuring proper separation between the two aircraft.
Shortly after N54120, a Cessna 172, called ready for takeoff on Runway 18, the tower local controller cleared the aircraft for takeoff. Sixteen seconds later, Jet Link [BTA] 2555, an Embraer ERJ145, called ready for takeoff on Runway 14 and was cleared for takeoff by the same controller. At the time of the incident, the Gulfport controller was also working the local control position combined with ground control and clearance delivery/flight data. He also acted as the facility’s controller-in-charge. The Cessna was airborne crossing Taxiway Charlie near the departure end of Runway 18, when the ERJ145 passed through the intersecting flight paths airborne in front of the Cessna. Closest proximity was estimated to be 0 feet vertically and 300 feet laterally.
FAA separation standards require the controller not to clear another aircraft for takeoff on an intersecting runway until any conflicting aircraft have either crossed the extended centerline or turned to avoid the second departure. The controller also never advised either aircraft of the other before or after departure.
Final Reports: Trijet Landed Long On Short Runway
Dassault Falcon 900, Emden, Germany, Nov. 18, 2009–The BFU, Germany’s accident investigation bureau, faulted the pilots of a Falcon 900EX for a landing-overrun accident on Runway 25 at Emden Airport, Germany. Investigators listed the probable cause of the accident as the pilots’ failure to consider the longer required landing distance due to the increased approach speed. The aircraft also touched down too far down the runway. The crew was also faulted for waiting too long to attempt a go-around.
The aircraft touched down 702 feet past the threshold of 4,265-foot-long Runway 25. None of the five passengers or three crewmembers was injured, although the aircraft was damaged.
The surface wind was 200 degrees at 15 to 20 knots with gusts of 25 to 30 knots, prompting the crew to fly a Vref approach speed of 128 knots rather than the initially calculated Vref of 116 knots. The aircraft touched down at a groundspeed of 115 knots when the copilot extended the air brakes and reduced thrust to idle. Thrust reversers were also selected but did not deploy fully. Reverse thrust was added equal to about 80 percent N1. Eight seconds after touchdown, the pilot flying called for a go-around, but both crewmembers immediately concluded it was too late to make the attempt. Thrust reversers were stowed some 11 seconds after first being deployed, with a groundspeed of about 80 knots. Thrust was then reduced to idle, but the airplane could not be stopped on the runway. The Falcon overran the end of the runway at about 15 knots, causing the nose gear to collapse.