Pilot Debrief

Cessna 208B near Lahaina, HI — 2019-08-18

Final reportANC19LA046
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Date
2019-08-18
Location
Lahaina, HI, USA
Airport
JHM
Aircraft
Cessna 208B
Registration
N879MA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilots’ failure to maintain a proper approach speed and their decision to continue the approach for landing, which resulted in the airplane landing long and a subsequent runway overrun.

NTSB narrative

The captain reported that, due to the wind conditions at the destination airport, he and the first officer, who was the pilot flying, decided to fly the approach for landing at 95 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) and use less than full flaps. The captain stated, and onboard data confirmed, that the airplane crossed the threshold of the 3,000 ft-long-runway at 115 KIAS. The airplane touched down about 2,000 ft down the runway at about 96 knots KIAS. Despite the pilots’ application of reverse thrust and full braking, the airplane continued off the end of the runway, where it impacted a fence and trees and came to rest in a ditch, resulting in substantial damage. The pilots and eight passengers egressed the airplane with no injuries. A complete examination of the thrust reverse system was not performed, as the airplane had been disassembled before the examination could take place. However, given the airplane’s touchdown point, there was insufficient runway remaining on which to stop the airplane even if the pilots had utilized a short field landing technique, which required an approach speed of 78 KIAS and full landing flaps. The pilots’ failure to maintain the predetermined approach speed and their decision to continue the approach despite the airplane’s excessive speed resulted in the airplane landing long and a subsequent runway overrun.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilots could have aborted landing due to high speed and long float.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 15 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents15

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