History of Flight
On May 25, 2011, about 1550 mountain standard time, an Embraer-Empresa Brasileira DE EMB-500 airplane, N244MD, sustained substantial damage during a runway overrun during landing at the Sedona Airport (SEZ), Sedona, Arizona. The captain, who was the flying pilot, and two of the three passengers were not injured. The first officer and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Superior Air Charter LLC., doing business as Jet Suite Air, Long Beach, California, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight originated from San Jose, California, about 1420 Pacific daylight time, with an intended destination of SEZ.
The on-demand charter flight transported three passengers to Sedona. After arrival, the flight was scheduled to depart for Oakland, California, to pick up additional passengers before returning to Los Angeles.
The captain reported an uneventful flight. About 20 miles from the airport, the flight crew canceled IFR and proceeded on a visual approach. They overflew the airport and entered a left downwind leg for runway 21. On downwind, the landing checklist was completed and a calculated 99 knot vREF was determined. On base leg at about 120 knots, the captain thought the airplane was low and applied back pressure. On final, he thought the airplane was high and reduced power to idle. Near the approach end, the airplane felt pushed up by a wind shift or updraft, and touched down firmly near the runway number markings. He applied brakes, initially effective, but the airplane did not slow. During maximum braking, the airplane veered right three times; each time he steered back, but on the third time the right main landing gear exited the runway, and the airplane departed the runway and traveled down an embankment. The captain felt a loss of braking effectiveness from the left side, which he attributed to the antiskid system actuating.
The first officer reported that ATC kept the airplane at 11,000 feet until visual contact. They canceled IFR, extended gear, and lowered flaps to number one for descent. They entered a left crosswind for runway 21 before turning left downwind. On downwind, flaps were selected to number two (26-degree deflection). Base leg and final approach were normal, approach speed 120 knots. During final, the first officer felt wind pushing the airplane, followed by a firm landing around the 1,000-foot markers.
An airline transport pilot passenger, seated in the left aft forward facing seat, reported an uneventful flight until the approach. He noted the airplane seemed high and observed that the bank angle of the base to final turn seemed greater than 45 degrees. He thought the flight crew would initiate a go-around, but they continued to touchdown. The airplane started swerving left and right during the landing roll, worsening as it progressed, with severe banking.
A witness in the airport terminal reported receiving a landing request from the accident airplane on the common traffic advisory frequency. He responded with the current AWOS and informed the pilots that runway 3 was the uphill runway. He transmitted twice with no response. He observed the airplane land within the touchdown area on runway 21 and fish-tail at high speed until it exited the runway. He saw the airplane strike a chain link fence and continue down an embankment.
Personnel Information
The captain, age 62, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multi-engine land and commercial single-engine land ratings, plus multiple type ratings. A first-class medical was issued on March 10, 2011, with no limitations. He underwent his most recent Part 135 proficiency check for the accident airplane on March 8, 2011. He had 23,970 total flight hours, 570 in type, 51 in previous 30 days, and 2 in previous 24 hours.
The first officer, age 32, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multi-engine land and commercial single-engine land ratings, plus type ratings for various corporate jets. A first-class medical was issued on April 22, 2011, with the limitation “must wear corrective lenses.” He completed his most recent Part 135 proficiency check on March 31, 2011. He had 1,886 total flight hours, 74 in type, 38 in previous 30 days, and 2 in previous 24 hours.
Aircraft Information
The six-seat, low-wing, retractable landing gear, pressurized t-tail airplane, serial number 50000057, was manufactured in 2009. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617F-E turbofan engines. The pilot operating handbook described the main brakes as a brake-by-wire system controlled via rudder pedals. The pedals actuate pedal transducers sending inputs to the Brake Control Unit (BCU), which controls shutoff and brake control valves. The antiskid system prevents tire skidding and maximizes brake efficiency. The antiskid system deactivates below 10 knots and is not available for the emergency/parking brake. The airplane was not equipped with thrust reversers, spoilers, leading edge slats, or a drag chute.
Meteorological Information
An NTSB staff meteorologist prepared a factual report. AWOS data recorded 15 minutes before the accident: wind from 250 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 27°C, dew point -4°C, altimeter 30.04 inHg. About 5 minutes after: wind from 250 degrees at 5 knots gusting to 14 knots. A witness reported that when the flight crew was inbound, he reported wind from 170 to 190 degrees at three to five knots.
Airport Information
Sedona Airport is a non-towered airport on top of a mesa at elevation 4,830 feet. Runway 3/21 is 5,132 feet long and 100 feet wide. Runway 3 is typically used for calm or light wind due to its up slope. Runway 21 has a 1.9 percent downward slope and a precision approach path indication system, which was out of service at the time (NOTAM active). Runway 21 has an overrun area of about 123 feet; beyond, terrain slopes 40 to 45 degrees for about 800 feet to the valley floor.
Flight Recorders
The airplane was equipped with an L-3/Fairchild FA2100 cockpit voice and data recorder. The CVDR recorded 223 hours including the accident flight. Data showed that about 23 seconds before weight-on-wheels, the aircraft was on heading 213° magnetic, indicated airspeed 124 knots, descending through 5,124 feet. That airspeed was maintained until about 3 seconds before weight-on-wheels. Indicated airspeed at first weight-on-wheels was 117 knots. The avionics had vAPP set to 120 knots, vAC to 107 knots, and vREF to 97 knots. EICAS showed no messages of antiskid failure, low hydraulic pressure, or emergency brake low pressure; no master warnings or caution messages. No failures or anomalies of the antiskid or brake system were recorded.
CVDR audio recorded the captain briefing the visual approach at 1539, noting landing speeds set. At 1548, the flight crew was cleared for visual approach and canceled IFR. The captain requested the first officer call Sedona Unicom to verify left-hand pattern. The Unicom operator confirmed left-hand and noted runway 3 was uphill. The flight crew discussed the slope and agreed it was not a factor. At 1551:20, the first officer reported entering left crosswind for runway 21. The Unicom operator reported wind from 170 at 5 knots. At 1552:34, the flight crew performed landing checks and noted airspeed “a-appish.” The captain mentioned difficulty judging the approach and referenced “forty-eight hundred.” At 1553:26, the first officer reported left base. At 1553:42, GPWS reported “five hundred,” then “sink rate, pull up” 16 seconds later. The captain replied. Touchdown sound was recorded at 1554:06.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane came to rest upright on an approximately 40-degree incline, oriented about 335° magnetic, about 386 feet beyond the departure end of runway 21. A chain link fence about 40 feet beyond the runway was damaged and displaced. Numerous damaged trees (2 to 15 feet high) were along the debris path. A large area of displaced cactus and sage was about 291 feet from the runway end.
On runway 21, a left main wheel skid mark began about 1,621 feet from the approach end. A right main gear skid mark began about 1,771 feet. The left skid mark was semi-intermittent to the runway end; the right skid mark continued, except where the right main gear exited the runway for about 300 feet. Skid marks indicated the airplane was oriented along the centerline but tracked right and back three times. Both main landing gears were intact and attached; tires rotated freely, appeared inflated, had no flat spots, and a rough sandpaper texture.
Tests and Research
The Brake Control Unit was removed and examined at the manufacturer under NTSB supervision. No stored faults related to the accident flight were found. Functional testing revealed normal operation with no anomalies.
A performance study using FDR data analyzed the final approach. The glide slope during the last 1.5 NM was about 3.7 degrees. Touchdown speed: about 128 knots airspeed, 123 knots ground speed, indicated 117 knots. Descent rate in the last 30 seconds was about 1,374 feet per minute. The aircraft touched down within the first 1,500 feet of runway. The captain applied wheel brakes; the first officer did not apply brakes. Thrust levers were brought to zero about one mile before touchdown and remained for about 24 seconds after weight-on-wheels, then advanced to about 70 degrees (maximum detent).
According to an Embraer representative, gross weight was about 9,128 pounds. Landing was with flaps 26 degrees, no anti-ice or de-ice. Using AFM charts, vREF for 9,500 pounds was 104 knots. For the actual conditions, calculated vREF was 101.5 knots. The unfactored landing distance for a 0-knot headwind was about 3,112 feet. With the actual indicated airspeed at 50 feet (124.5 knots) and 3.5 knot headwind, the unfactored landing distance was about 5,624 feet.