History of Flight
On March 1, 2015, about 1615 eastern standard time, a Bombardier Canadair CL-600-2A12 airplane, N600NP, experienced a landing overrun and subsequent collapse of the nose landing gear at Marco Island Airport (MKY), Marco Island, Florida. The two pilots, one flight attendant, and four passengers were on board. One passenger sustained serious injuries; one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 executive/corporate flight under an instrument flight rules flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at MKY at the time. The flight originated about 1554 from Florida Keys Marathon Airport (MTH), Marathon, Florida.
The pilot-in-command (PIC) and second-in-command (SIC) had previously landed at MTH without issues. After takeoff, they proceeded to MKY, where the automated weather observing station (AWOS) reported wind from 250° at 5 knots. The pilots reviewed landing distances: calculated required landing distance was 3,166 ft for dry runway and 4,166 ft for wet runway; runway 17 was 5,000 ft long. The airplane entered the traffic pattern from the south. The PIC noted rain about 2–3 miles east but the runway appeared dry. The airplane landed with flaps extended to 45°. Touchdown was described as firm, occurring between 300 and 500 ft beyond the aiming point marking. After touchdown, the PIC attempted to extend ground spoilers without success. When the nose landing gear (NLG) contacted the runway, the PIC applied brake pressure but felt no deceleration. Attempts to deploy thrust reversers were unsuccessful. The PIC then applied moderate brake pressure without deceleration; the SIC characterized the landing roll as similar to skidding on ice. The PIC turned off the antiskid and reapplied brakes hard but still no deceleration. The airplane departed the runway traveling about 35 knots and rolled about 250 ft into sand. The NLG collapsed.
The PIC ordered an emergency evacuation. Airport personnel arrived and assisted. A passenger on the cockpit jumpseat complained of back pain and was taken to a hospital. The PIC later confirmed using nosewheel steering to maintain centerline, with no abnormal issues detected.
Personnel Information
The PIC held an FAA airline transport pilot certificate with type ratings including CL-600. He had 8,988 total flight hours, 840 hours in the accident airplane make and model. He received his initial CL-600 type rating in March 2011. The SIC held an FAA airline transport pilot certificate with over 17,000 total flight hours, about 1,500 hours in the accident airplane.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, serial number 3002, was manufactured in 1983 and powered by two General Electric CF34-3A engines. It was equipped with a steer-by-wire nosewheel system, normal and antiskid braking systems, ground spoilers, and thrust reversers. The nose landing gear steering system was enabled only when weight-on-wheels (WOW) input was present. The antiskid system included pretouchdown protection, locked-wheel protection, and built-in test equipment. The ground spoilers required throttle levers at idle and weight on landing gear for deployment. The airplane was maintained under an MSG-3 program. No discrepancies regarding brakes, antiskid, ground spoilers, or thrust reversers were reported in the 90 days before the accident.
Meteorological Information
The MKY AWOS reported wind from 250° at 8 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 9,000 ft, temperature 27°C, dewpoint 20°C, and altimeter setting 30.22 inches of mercury. Weather radar showed an area of echoes with maximum intensities 45–50 dBZ immediately east of MKY. The airplane approached under the leading edge of the echoes. No strong outflows or divergent signatures were noted, indicating no strong winds, gust fronts, or microbursts. No lightning was detected. Airport security cameras showed rain began about 10 minutes after the accident.
Airport Information
Marco Island Airport is a public airport with a single, grooved asphalt runway 17/35, 5,000 ft long and 100 ft wide, reported in fair condition. Left traffic was specified for runway 17, which had a slight upslope.
Flight Recorders
The airplane was equipped with an L-3 Communications/Fairchild A100A Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), but the accident flight was not recorded due to a broken drive belt. The CVR had passed an operational check about 34 hours before the accident. The Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) recorded no warnings; the landing record occurred when the flight was about 800 ft before the runway threshold.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest about 250 ft past the departure end of runway 17. Runway skid marks indicated alternating light and dark marks over about 780 ft, followed by a dark skid mark for 128 ft. Skid marks from the left main landing gear (MLG) tires were noted; skid marks from the right MLG tires changed direction multiple times. Beyond the runway, marks from all landing gear were present; the NLG mark stopped about 81 ft 10 inches before the left MLG resting position, consistent with NLG collapse.
Examination of the airplane revealed a hole in a bulkhead, a tear in the skin and frame near the right NLG trunnion attachment, and displacement of the left NLG wall. The NLG was separated but remained partially attached by hydraulic hoses. The nosewheel steering switch was in the arm position; ground spoiler and antiskid switches were off. The thrust reverser levers were stowed. The left MLG No. 1 tire showed flat spotting and a rupture tear; the No. 1 wheel speed sensor (WSS) coupling subassembly was fractured near the base. No defects were noted in the WOW wiring harness. The right MLG tires exhibited flat spotting. The NLG WOW sensors appeared normal, though some overlap was noted in a photograph.