Pilot Debrief

BEECH 300 near Atlanta, GA — 2023-10-18

Final reportERA24LA012
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Date
2023-10-18
Location
Atlanta, GA, USA
Airport
PDK
Aircraft
BEECH 300
Registration
N93GA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper approach speed, which resulted in a runway overrun. Contributing to the runway overrun were the pilot’s application of full reverse at an airspeed higher than that allowed by the system, which added power and forward thrust, and the application of braking that flat-spotted the main landing gear tires.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the runway overrun were the pilot’s application of full reverse at an airspeed higher than that allowed by the system, which added power and forward thrust, and the application of braking that flat-spotted the main landing gear tires.

NTSB narrative

The pilot performed a visual approach to the runway in calm wind conditions with the flaps extended halfway (approach flaps). Flight track information indicated that the airplane was fast crossing the runway displaced threshold, and touched down with about 4,000 ft of runway remaining at a speed about 135 knots (kts), which was 19 kts above the highest published approach speed for the airplane’s gross weight at the time of landing. The pilot reported that, after touchdown, he moved the power levers into the ground fine position to help slow the airplane, but he did not feel the “normal deceleration.” He applied the brakes and then “stood on the brakes,” adding that he did not feel the tires sliding, then applied maximum reverse thrust in an attempt to bring the airplane to a stop on the runway. The airplane rolled past the departure end of the runway, onto a displaced threshold, and then into the engineered material arresting system past the departure end of the runway. During the runway excursion, the nose landing gear wheel assembly separated and the right engine was displaced from its normal position. Postaccident examination revealed that one tire on each main landing gear exhibited flat-spotting through the tread, consistent with a sliding tire. Although the pilot commanded the propeller blade angle to move less than the flight idle low pitch stop setting during the landing roll, the propeller blades could not move to this position until the airplane slowed to about 100 kts or less, which did not occur until the airplane was more than 3,400 ft down the 5,000-ft-long runway. At speeds above 100 kts, the propeller was governed by the constant speed unit, which will not allow the pilot to command ground fine or reverse thrust settings. Thus, there were no systems failures or malfunctions that prevented movement of the propeller blades to ground fine or reverse. The application of full reverse thrust when the airplane was likely greater than 100 kts indicated airspeed likely further increased the required stopping distance by adding engine power and thrust in the forward direction. The added forward thrust, combined with the flat-spotting of several tires during the landing roll, likely cumulatively increased the required landing roll distance, resulting in insufficient runway remaining to avoid a runway overrun.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a go-around instead of landing with partial flaps.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 21 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents21

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