What happened
On a flight from Pittsburgh to Ottawa, an Embraer 145LR, registration N829HK, experienced a runway excursion during landing at Ottawa/Macdonald Cartier International Airport. The aircraft, operated by Trans States Airlines, was carrying 28 passengers and three crew members.
During the approach to Runway 25, the flight crew was vectored around storm cells, which resulted in a shortened final approach. This maneuver led to an unstable approach characterized by high airspeed and a high descent profile. The aircraft crossed the threshold at approximately 140 KIAS and 75 feet above the airfield elevation. The landing itself was smooth, but the aircraft failed to decelerate as expected.
Because the aircraft was not equipped with thrust reversers, the crew relied on spoilers and wheel brakes to stop. The aircraft traveled approximately 4500 feet from touchdown before coming to a stop in a grass field roughly 300 feet beyond the end of the runway. There were no injuries, though the aircraft sustained minor damage to a landing gear tire.
The investigation
The TSB examined flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) data to reconstruct the event. The FDR revealed that while the brakes were active, there was a significant delay in brake pressure rising to effective levels. Specifically, pressures did not exceed 500 psi until 16 to 19 seconds after the aircraft reached weight on wheels.
The investigation also focused on the runway conditions, which were wet due to light rain. While no excessive standing water was found, the smooth landing likely facilitated a state of viscous or dynamic hydroplaning. Furthermore, the investigation uncovered that the CVR had been erased after the incident, a serious violation of aviation regulations regarding the preservation of evidence.
Findings
- The approach to Runway 25 was high, fast, and not stabilized, causing the aircraft to touch down much further down the runway than intended.
- The smooth nature of the touchdown likely contributed to the aircraft entering a state of hydroplaning on the wet surface.
- The anti-skid system likely prevented brake pressures from rising to normal levels immediately after touchdown, delaying effective braking action.
- The flight crew was slow to identify and react to the lack of deceleration, which hindered the timely transfer of control and contributed to the overrun.