What happened
On a scheduled flight from St. Theresa Point to Winnipeg, a Swearingen SA2-26-TC Metro II, registration C-GIQF, was diverted from its planned visual approach to Runway 36 due to conflicting traffic and changing weather. The crew was instead vectored for an ILS approach to Runway 13. During the approach, the aircraft encountered severe weather, including heavy rain, wind shear, and turbulence.
As the aircraft landed on the wet runway, it drifted to the right of the centerline. The aircraft subsequently departed the runway surface, traveling 1,150 feet through the infield and striking runway edge lights, a taxiway light, and a runway identification sign. The aircraft came to rest near the intersection of Runways 13/31 and 18/36. While the aircraft sustained damage to the fuselage, wings, and an engine due to mud ingestion and impact, there were no injuries among the 13 passengers and 2 crew members.
The investigation
The investigation established that the crew had not completed an instrument approach briefing before the arrival at Runway 13. The captain elected to fly the approach personally rather than using a pilot-monitored approach due to the first officer's limited experience on the type.
Investigators found that the aircraft landed at a speed significantly higher than the threshold for hydroplaning on a wet surface. The presence of a tailwind and crosswind further complicated directional control. Additionally, the investigation noted that while Doppler radar data was available for the region, it was not integrated into the controllers' specific display systems, and the airport lacked windshear detection equipment.
Findings
- The aircraft likely hydroplaned upon landing on a wet runway, leading to a loss of directional control.
- The crew continued an instrument approach despite rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, including heavy precipitation and wind shear.
- The aircraft was cleared for an approach to a runway with a tailwind exceeding the guidelines set in the Air Traffic Services Manual of Operations (MANOPS) for wet runway operations.
- Limited weather visibility for both the crew and air traffic controllers contributed to an inaccurate perception of the storm's severity.
Safety action
- Following the occurrence, the operator, Perimeter Airlines (Inland) Ltd., integrated a crew resource management (CRM) segment into its training program for Metro pilots.