History of Flight
On July 30, 2008, about 1832 eastern daylight time, an Eclipse Aviation Corporation EA500, registration N333MY, sustained substantial damage during a runway overrun while landing at Brandywine Airport (OQN), West Chester, Pennsylvania. The certificated airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Wings Field Airport (LOM), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot's written statement, he had the airplane "topped off" prior to departing for OQN. During a visual approach for runway 27, he set up for a normal approach and dropped gear and one notch of flaps. When the airplane slowed sufficiently he selected landing flaps. He believed he was a little high on the approach so he dipped down. As he passed the runway threshold his speed was a little high, but he thought it manageable. After touchdown, he applied brakes and felt the airplane skid, but decided not to go around due to the distance left. He pumped the wheel brakes continuously, then applied full brakes. The airplane skidded to the right and went off the end of the runway.
After leaving the runway, the airplane traveled down a 40-foot embankment and crossed a service road. It came to rest against trees and a chain link fence approximately 184 feet beyond the departure end of runway 27, on a magnetic heading of 265 degrees.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The Eclipse 500 was a low-wing, T-tail airplane powered by twin tail-mounted Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofan engines. It was manufactured in 2007 and had accumulated 76.2 total hours at the time of the accident. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiple ratings, including type ratings for the Eclipse 500, Hawker Siddeley 125, and Learjet. He reported 6,300 total hours of flight experience.
Flight Path and Speeds
Data from the airplane's Diagnostic Storage Unit (DSU) showed the entire flight lasted about 5.8 minutes from takeoff at LOM to landing at OQN. Takeoff occurred at 18:26:30. The landing gear was extended at 1,521 feet mean sea level at about 194 knots. Flaps 10 (takeoff) were selected at 1,507 feet at about 193 knots. Twenty seconds before touchdown, flaps 30 (landing) were selected at 694 feet at about 147 knots, which was about 27 knots above the maximum flap extension speed. As the airplane approached the runway threshold, airspeed was 123 knots, crossing the threshold at about 108 knots (about 14 knots above the specified approach reference speed). Touchdown occurred at 18:32:16 at about 92 knots, about 14 knots above the specified landing speed.
Runway and Weather Conditions
Brandywine Airport's runway 27 was asphalt, in good condition, with a total length of 3,347 feet and width of 50 feet. The displaced threshold reduced the available landing length to 3,097 feet. The runway sloped downward 1.0%. A Precision Approach Path Indicator was installed but inoperative. The reported weather included calm winds, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, temperature 28°C, dew point 18°C, and altimeter 29.75 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact
Skid marks matching the airplane's landing gear began about 868 feet west of the displaced threshold and continued for about 2,229 feet until they left the paved runway. Examination revealed no preimpact mechanical failures of the flight control, brake, engine control, or engine systems. The nose landing gear separated; the right outboard wing bent upward; both main gear sheared off and penetrated the wing. The main gear tires were flattened, torn, and flat-spotted. The wing flaps and flap lever were in the landing position.
Aftermath
Both engines were still running and fuel leaked. The Goshen Fire Company shut down the engines by flooding them with Aqueous Film Forming Foam. The cabin floor in front of the pilot's seat was pushed upward, and the throttle quadrant displaced rightward. Both the main entry door and emergency exit door remained operational. Neither occupant received injuries during the impact or egress. Examination of the pilot's seat energy absorbing device showed it compressed about half its travel, indicating a vertical deceleration between 15g and 26g.
The pilot reported he did not check NOTAMs that day and was surprised by the landing performance. He estimated he may have gone off the end at 40 knots. He had about 93 hours in type, all training in a simulator, and had practiced brake failures. He stated the runway at Brandywine was the shortest he had landed on. Inspection of the braking system and tires revealed no preexisting malfunctions or failures.