Incident Overview
On March 9, 2019, at 1547 eastern standard time, a Gulfstream G-IV, registration N505GF, was substantially damaged during landing at Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) in Chamblee, Georgia. The aircraft was operated by Waffle House Inc. as a corporate flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The two airline transport pilots and 12 passengers were not injured.
Flight Details
The flight originated from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), Bozeman, Montana, at about 1236, with an instrument flight rules flight plan filed. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The enroute portion of the flight was reported as normal by the crew.
Approach and Landing
Upon arrival in the Atlanta area, air traffic control advised the crew that runway 34 at PDK, which was 3,967 feet long, was in use. Runway 21L/3R, which was 6,001 feet long, was closed until 1600, about 20 minutes later. The crew initially requested to hold until the longer runway opened but shortly thereafter determined they had the landing performance and advised they would land on runway 34.
The approach was reported as normal, but during the landing flare, the pilot flying felt an "unusually hard impact." The landing roll and taxi to the ramp were uneventful. The pilot flying reported that this was his first landing on runway 34 at PDK.
Damage and Inspection
A hard landing inspection revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight crew did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. Photographs provided by the airport manager showed two tire tracks commencing in the grass about 18 feet prior to the runway 34 threshold, with loose dirt and grass observed around the threshold.
Pilot Information
According to FAA airman records, the pilot flying held an airline transport pilot certificate and a first-class medical certificate issued in January 2019. He reported a total flight time of 4,920 hours, with 125 hours in the accident airplane make and model. The second pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate and a first-class medical certificate issued in May 2018, with a total flight time of 8,139 hours, including 972 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was powered by two turbo-fan Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engines. The most recent continuous airworthiness inspection was completed in February 2019.
Weather Conditions
At 1553, the reported weather at PDK included 6 statute miles visibility, haze, a broken cloud layer at 3,700 feet above ground level, variable wind at 4 knots, temperature 17°C, dew point 12°C, and barometric pressure of 30.01 inches of mercury.