What happened
The flight was operating as a Mexican air taxi service when it encountered severe weather conditions that necessitated a diversion. The crew reported encountering icing, heavy rain, and hail during the en route phase of the flight. As a result, the aircraft diverted to Del Rio, Texas.
Upon arrival at the destination, air traffic control vectored the aircraft and cleared it for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) localizer approach to Runway 13. The weather conditions remained challenging during the final approach and landing phase.
At the time of landing, the surface wind was reported from 350 degrees at 15 knots, with gusts reaching 20 knots. The runway surface was wet, reducing braking efficiency. Despite the crew's efforts to stop the aircraft within the available runway length, they were unable to bring the plane to a halt on the paved surface.
The aircraft overran the departure end of the runway. Upon exiting the runway environment, the landing gear collapsed under the stress of the off-runway impact and subsequent movement. The event concluded with the aircraft coming to rest after the gear failure.
The investigation
Investigation into the incident focused on the operational circumstances surrounding the diversion and the landing performance. The primary factors identified were the environmental conditions encountered during the approach and the physical limitations of stopping on a wet surface under gusty wind conditions.
The mechanical outcome of the event was the collapse of the landing gear, which occurred after the aircraft left the runway pavement. No further mechanical failures prior to the overrun were cited as contributing factors in the immediate narrative.
Findings
Several key factors contributed to the outcome of this flight:
- Severe weather including icing, heavy rain, and hail forced the initial diversion from the planned destination.
- Runway conditions were wet, which significantly reduced tire traction and braking effectiveness.
- Wind conditions at touchdown included gusts up to 20 knots from a direction that likely complicated directional control and stopping distance calculations.
- Landing gear collapse was the direct result of the aircraft departing the end of the runway.
The crew's inability to stop on the wet runway within the available distance led to the overrun. The combination of weather-induced diversion and difficult landing conditions created a high-risk scenario that resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft's undercarriage.
Safety message
This incident highlights the critical importance of accurate performance calculations when landing on contaminated runways, particularly when gusty winds are present. Pilots must account for reduced braking action due to wet surfaces and adjust approach speeds and touchdown points accordingly. Additionally, the decision to divert due to icing and severe weather demonstrates proper risk management, though the subsequent landing environment required precise energy management to avoid runway excursion.