21st of July 2016, Landing Distance, Blog #713
- V2Aviation
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
A Cessna 208B (powered by a Honeywell TPE331 Turbo Prop) fresh out of a 100-hour check was being used for FAA Part 91: General Aviation - Skydiving operations on this day in aviation history in 2016. Three flights had been operated out of Baldwin Airport (WI14, Wisconsin, USA) without issue. Because of the high temperature (90°F/32°C) and humidity, the flights were operated with only 14 parachutists and a prolonged ground time for engine cooling between flights.
The take-off for the fourth flight of the day was delayed as the pilot discussed the weather with an experienced parachutist. Showers had been passing north and south of Baldwin throughout the morning, but never coming closer than 10-15 miles. Although there were clouds over the intended drop zone, there was no rain, and the clouds were moving away from the drop zone.
It was decided to operate the fourth flight of the day, hoping that the weather would cooperate; if it didn't, they would return to Baldwin.
The parachutist boarded the aircraft, followed by an uneventful take-off. While climbing through 3,000 feet MSL, the pilot checked in with ATC for a traffic advisory and a radio check. A short while later, while climbing through 4000 feet, ATC advised the pilot that light to moderate precipitation was in the area. The pilot continued to climb toward the drop zone to see if there was any rain over the area. About 1-1.5 miles from the zone, light rain was encountered. With the weather not favourable for the parachutists to jump, the pilot advised them they would be returning to Baldwin, where a rain shower had passed over since their departure.
After descending, the aircraft entered a base leg for the (1950-foot-long) runway 18 at Baldwin Airport, approximately 2 miles from the airport. The aircraft then turned on final. A power-on, stabilised approach was flown, although the glide path was less steep than with an empty aircraft. During the approach, the flaps were lowered in increments to the full flaps position of 30°. The pilot flared the aircraft over the threshold and touched down at a speed of 65 knots. Full reverse was selected, and the flaps were retracted. When applying the brakes, the pilot discovered that the braking action was null, a go-around was no option at that point, due to the current pressure altitude, full load and trees at the end of the runway. The pilot held full aft on the control yoke for aerodynamic braking, stayed in full
propeller reverse, and applied the brakes as much as possible without locking the wheels up. Just before coming to a complete stop (about 5-10 mph), the airplane rolled into a ditch at the departure end of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage. There were no injuries.
According to Cessna, the applicable 208B Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) tables do not
provide for landing on WET grass runways. For landing on DRY grass runways, 40%
distance is added to the normal landing roll distance chart figures (hard surface runways) The accident was reported to the National Transportation Safety Board, which launched an investigation. As part of the investigation, the owner-operator of the aircraft was interviewed. He informed the NTSB that the company's Standard Operating Procedures would be amended by adding the following text;
"If landing on a grass runway shorter than 3000' while fully loaded, the aircraft should be taken to the nearest airport that meets or exceeds safe landing requirements."
The NTSB concluded the probable cause of this accident to be;
"The pilot's decision to land the fully loaded parachutist drop airplane on a wet grass runway that had insufficient length for the landing in high temperature conditions, which resulted in a runway overrun, when a more suitable longer runway was available at a nearby airport."
The NTSB Aviation Accident Final Report, which served as the source for this blog, can be accessed by clicking on the .pdf file below;
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