Pilot Debrief

BRITTEN-NORMAN BN-2A-9 near Culebra, PR — 2022-02-15

Final reportERA22LA123
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Date
2022-02-15
Location
Culebra, PR, USA
Airport
CPX
Aircraft
BRITTEN-NORMAN BN-2A-9
Registration
N821RR
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The flight crew’s failure to arrest the descent rate during the non-standard approach, which resulted in a hard landing and failure of the right-wing structure. Contributing was the flight instructor’s selection of a challenging approach for initial training.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was receiving flight training as a new hire, and the accident occurred during his first flight in the airplane and the first landing. The pilot stated the approach was flown at the upper end of the allowable approach speed, and about 100 ft above the normal glidepath. During the landing, all three of the airplane’s landing gear touched down at the same time, the airplane immediately veered right, and continued off the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing structure. The flight instructor chose an airport with a challenging approach that required a special training program prior to the first landing. The approach procedure requires a left 40° turn then rolling wings level just before touchdown. It is likely that the airplane’s descent rate during landing exceeded the airplane’s capability, which resulted in a hard landing and failure of the right-wing structure.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have executed a go-around due to speed and landing conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents8

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