Incident Overview

Date: Wednesday 17 March 1993
Aircraft Type: Learjet 35
Owner/operator: Apache Corporation
Registration Number: N304AF
Location: Teterboro, NJ – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Component Affected: Left Main Landing GearLeft Main Landing Gear
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
An ILS run at Runway 6 resulted in a forced landing due to a series of events. The pilot reported visibility and the runway ahead, but lost situational awareness due to darkness and adverse weather conditions. The airplane drifted to the right after a successful approach, impacting snowbank on the right side of the runway. Braking was reported as ‘nil’ by the pilot, and the left landing gear collapsed. The aircraft’s left main landing gear was damaged, and the fusele board beam was damaged.An ILS run at Runway 6 resulted in a forced landing due to a series of events. The pilot reported visibility and the runway ahead, but lost situational awareness due to darkness and adverse weather conditions. The airplane drifted to the right after a successful approach, impacting snowbank on the right side of the runway. Braking was reported as ‘nil’ by the pilot, and the left landing gear collapsed. The aircraft’s left main landing gear was damaged, and the fusele board beam was damaged.

Description

THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS RUNWAY 6 APPROACH AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT ABOVE THE DECISION HEIGHT. SNOW WAS FALLING. AFTER A ‘SUCCESSFUL’ APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN THE ‘TOUCHDOWN ZONE.’ SPOILERS, THRUST REVERSERS, AND BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT THE AIRPLANE ‘STARTED TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT.’ THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A SNOWBANK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. ITS LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE FUSELAGE KEEL BEAM WAS DAMAGED. BRAKING ACTION WAS REPORTED AS ‘NIL’ BY THE PILOT. THE RUNWAY HAD ‘TWO TO THREE INCHES’ OF WET SNOW. IT WAS CLOSED AND PLOWED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE TOWER CONTROLLER HAD TRANSMITTED TO THE PILOTS ‘LAST BRAKING ACTION FAIR BY A WESTWIND ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO.’ THE ATIS INFORMATION INCLUDED ‘APPROACH LIGHTS FOR RUNWAY 6 HAVE BEEN DECOMMISSIONED.’ Probable Cause: IMPROPER PLANNING OR DECISION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITION.

Primary Cause

Improper planning or decision by the pilot in command (PIC).Improper planning or decision by the pilot in command (PIC).

Share on:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *