Incident Overview
On February 18, 2021, about 1905 central standard time, a Gates Learjet 55, registration N559RA, sustained substantial damage when it landed on a closed runway at Clark Regional Airport (JVY) near Jeffersonville, Indiana. The captain and first officer were not injured. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand cargo flight for Royal Air Cargo.
Flight Details
The flight originated from Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida, and was conducted under an instrument flight rules flight plan. The approach was set up for the instrument landing system (ILS) to runway 18, with the intention of breaking out of the overcast cloud layer and executing a visual approach to runway 36 due to more favorable winds.
Pilot Accounts
Both pilots reported that takeoff, climb, and en route portions were normal, with the first officer as the pilot flying. Upon exiting the overcast, the captain activated the airport's pilot-controlled lighting system. The first officer saw a runway; both pilots believed it was runway 36 and maneuvered visually toward it. On touchdown, the captain realized they had inadvertently landed on runway 32. The pilots stated they were aware that runway 14-32 was closed. They noted that the only runway lights visible were those on runway 32, and there were no visible indications that the runway was closed. Both pilots also stated they did not verify that the final approach course aligned with the intended runway during the visual approach.
Airport Conditions
The airport manager confirmed that runway 32 was closed due to approximately 4 inches of snow that had yet to be cleared. A notice to airmen (NOTAM) had been issued, and the Automated Weather Observing System recording, available via aircraft radio, included the closure information. The runway lights were on because of snowplow operations, but no plow trucks were present at the time as operators were on a dinner break. The manager noted that lights for runway 36 may not have been visible from the approach direction due to snow berms obstructing the view. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that a NOTAM referencing the closure of runway 14/32 was in effect.