It was on this day in aviation history in 2008 that a Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier I) twin-engine business jet was operating a private flight from the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport Kansas City (KMKC) to Lewistown-Sharpe Farms Airport (MO09), both in the state of Missouri, USA. The destination had a 4370-foot-long asphalt runway identified as runway 13/31.
The destination was a private airfield. The pilot contacted a couple of people in Lewistown to get information on the local conditions. He was told there had been some rain, and the roads were wet. There was no mention of ice. Using the Aircraft Operating Manual the anticipated landing distance on a wet runway was calculated to be about 3,400 feet, the anticipated landing distance on an uncontaminated runway was calculated to be approximately 2,800 feet, and the prescribed landing speed (Vref) was determined to be about 111 knots. All within the safety margins.
The flight, with a crew of two and two passengers, had been uneventfull and at an altitude of 2200 feet, the aircraft broke out of the clouds, on the approach to runway 13. The runway had the appearance of being wet, as was expected by th crew.
A normal touchdown at a speed of approximately 110 knots (Vref was previously determined to be 111 knots) a stabilised approach, lift dumpers were selected and the brakes were applied. Almost immediately the pilot noticed the anti-skid system activating, he kept applying the brakes. For a short moment, a go-around was considered, however, due to the runway length remaining it was decided to continue the landing and not go-around. the pilot attempted yawing the aircraft left and right attempting to get traction and brake effectiveness. The crew was not able to stop the aircraft and continued past the southern edge of the runway. It went over an embankment and stopped next to a ditch.
An emergency shutdown of the aircraft was completed and all occupants exited the aircraft through the cabin door. The aircraft was substantially damaged being written off as damaged beyond repair.
An investigation into the runway excursion was launched by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). As part of the investigation, the manufacturer's Approved Airplane Flight Manual Supplement for Airplanes Operating on Wet and Contaminated Runways; General Information Section was analysed. It stated that "runways contaminated with ice or wet ice are not recommended and no operational information is provided." A runway is considered as wet when there is sufficient moisture on the surface to cause it to appear reflective but without significant areas of standing water.
The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the accident was;
"The pilot's loss of directional control during landing on an ice-contaminated runway."
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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