Aircraft overrun following runway hydroplaning

Casualties unknown • Greenacres, WA, US

An aircraft overran the end of a runway and struck a fence after experiencing hydroplaning on a heavily irrigated runway surface.

What happened

Following landing, the pilot reported that braking action was very poor due to a heavily irrigated section of the runway. The irrigation affected the area from midfield to the departure end of runway 16. As the aircraft attempted to decelerate, the tires appeared to hydroplane on the wet grass runway surface. Consequently, the pilot was unable to stop the aircraft before it overran the end of the runway and struck a fence.

The investigation

An FAA inspector examined the aircraft and identified specific structural damage. The inspection revealed that the bottom wing skin was torn and one aileron contained a puncture hole.

Findings

The pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented through more diligent monitoring of the runway watering system and by performing physical checks of the entire runway surface prior to takeoff to identify any variances in condition.

Probable cause

The aircraft overran the runway after hydroplaning on a section of the runway that had been heavily irrigated.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2006-08-07 Piper PA-23-250 accident near Greenacres, WA?

An aircraft overran the end of a runway and struck a fence after experiencing hydroplaning on a heavily irrigated runway surface.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2006-08-07 involved a Piper PA-23-250, registration N6549A, at Greenacres, WA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft overran the runway after hydroplaning on a section of the runway that had been heavily irrigated.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20061004X01450. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

Loading the flight search…