What happened
The aircraft overran the end of the runway and collided with a fence during a night landing operation. The flight was significantly hampered by several inoperative cabin systems, specifically an inoperative heater and a dome light that could not be turned off. These lighting issues likely contributed to the pilot's difficulty in assessing the approach and touchdown point.
The runway suggested for use was notably short and featured a decommissioned visual approach slope indicator (VASI) system, removing a critical visual aid for glidepath monitoring. The pilot stated that she landed long on the runway and was late in detecting the end of the available pavement. Skid marks approximately 15 feet long were observed at the end of the runway, confirming the overrun.
The investigation
Examination of the site revealed skid marks extending about 15 feet beyond the runway threshold. The runway infrastructure included a decommissioned VASI system, meaning no visual glidepath guidance was available to the pilot during the approach. Cabin electrical systems were found to be malfunctioning, with the heater inoperative and the dome light stuck in the on position.
Findings
- N-number (registration) not provided in source text.
- The runway suggested for use was short.
- A decommissioned VASI system was present at the airport.
- The pilot landed long and late detected the runway end.
- Skid marks were found approximately 15 ft long on the runway end.
- An inoperative heater and a dome light that could not be turned off hampered the flight.
Safety message
Pilots operating at airports with decommissioned visual aids or short runways must exercise extreme caution, particularly during night operations. Inoperative cabin lighting can severely degrade situational awareness and depth perception, making accurate judgment of touchdown points and runway length more difficult.