Casualties unknown

Hard Landing Short of Runway Damages Aircraft Wing Spar During Air Taxi Flight (N55JA)

Santa Rosa Isl, CA, US

On January 8, 1994, a Britten-norman BN2A-8 ISLANDER (registration N55JA) operated by Channel Islands Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Santa Rosa Isl, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH TO THE RUNWAY AND HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF THE TOUCHDOWN POINT THAT RESULTED IN AN UNDERSHOOT AND SUBSEQUENT HARD LANDING. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A Part 135 air taxi aircraft touched down hard about 10 feet short of a 2,600-foot dirt airstrip after the pilot reported a downdraft on final approach, resulting in damage to the wing rear spar.

Incident Overview

Aircraft operating under Part 135 as an air taxi flight experienced a hard landing approximately 10 feet short of the approach end of a 2,600-foot-long, 30-foot-wide dirt airstrip. The pilot reported encountering a downdraft while on final approach.

Damage Assessment

Subsequent inspection revealed structural damage to the wing to which the landing gear is attached. Repairs required replacement of approximately 2 1/2 feet of the rear spar.

Operational Context

No further details regarding the aircraft type, registration, number of occupants, injuries, or weather conditions were provided in the source material.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001206X00654. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.